President Donald Trump is facing fierce backlash from within his own political base and beyond after making inflammatory new remarks dismissing calls for full transparency in the government’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation. In a Truth Social post and subsequent comments to the press, Trump derided his critics as “stupid” and “foolish,” calling the transparency movement a “big hoax” orchestrated by Democrats and abetted by “foolish Republicans.”
Trump’s comments, made earlier this week and amplified during an interview, have sharply divided conservatives. The president insisted that the ongoing demands for unredacted Epstein case files are a political stunt, linking the push to the same forces behind the discredited Steele dossier.
“I know it’s a hoax. It’s started by Democrats. It’s been run by the Democrats for four years,” Trump said, invoking former FBI Directors James Comey and Christopher Wray. “It is perpetrated by the Democrats and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.”
Trump’s remarks have left parts of his MAGA base stunned, particularly as the demand for transparency in the Epstein case had been a rallying cry for Trump supporters for years. The topic has become a lightning rod in right-wing circles, especially given Epstein’s deep ties to powerful elites across the political spectrum.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) weighed in on the controversy this week, signaling his support for transparency while attempting to align with Trump’s position. “We’re for transparency,” Johnson told reporters, but cautioned that the release of sensitive information, such as the names of minors or whistleblowers, must be handled with care.
Johnson later clarified his statements, claiming that his position had been “misrepresented” by the mainstream media. “We trust the American people,” he said. “And I know the president does, as well.”
However, that nuance didn’t satisfy some MAGA leaders like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who firmly rejected the notion that transparency on the Epstein case should be curtailed. Speaking to CNN, Greene declared, “It’s just a red line that it crosses for many people. Jeffrey Epstein is literally the most well-known, convicted pedophile in modern-day history… there needs to be transparency of the rich and powerful elites that were in his circle.”
The backlash reflects a growing rift within the Republican Party, where some lawmakers and activists insist on exposing the full extent of Epstein’s connections to the global elite, while Trump remains dismissive, framing the scrutiny as yet another partisan attack against him and his allies.
With pressure mounting on Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice to release more documents, Trump’s latest statements may further alienate parts of his base who view the Epstein investigation as a litmus test for accountability and anti-elitism.
As calls for transparency grow louder, Trump’s gamble in labeling the Epstein inquiry a “hoax” may test the loyalty of his staunchest supporters—many of whom have long demanded answers in one of the country’s most high-profile scandals.
