Most Americans think Trump administration is covering up evidence in Epstein case, new poll finds
Most Americans think the Trump administration is covering up evidence in the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epsteinโs federal case, according to a new poll.
A poll conducted by The Economist and YouGov from July 11 to 14 found 67 percent of Americans believe the government is hiding evidence related to the late financier, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges related to the sexual abuse of dozens of minor girls. He had pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
After Epsteinโs death โ which the Justice Department and FBI confirmed was a suicide in a memo released earlier this month โ conspiracy theories swirled about the late financierโs life, including the powerful people who are speculated to have partaken in his crimes. Conspiracy theorists also werenโt convinced Epstein killed himself.
The fedsโ memo also said there was never any Epstein client list and, โThere was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.โ
Only 8 percent of respondents in the new poll believe the government is not covering up evidence about Epstein, while 25 percent are unsure.
When asked if the government should release all documents relating to the fedsโ Epstein case, 79 percent of respondents said it should. Only 5 percent said the government shouldnโt release the files, and 17 percent were unsure.
The fedsโ memo sparked backlash from Trumpโs base, who were promised the Epstein files.
In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News evidence of a client list was โsitting on my desk right now to review.โ
When the fedsโ evidence came up short, people started to ask questions.
โTheyโve got videotape and all a sudden they donโt,โ Podcaster Joe Rogan said on his show Tuesday.
Rogan name-dropped Bondi, saying, โWhyโd they say there was thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible s***? Whyโd they say that? Didnโt [Attorney General] Pam Bondi say that?โ
Bondi told reporters in May, โThere are tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and there are hundreds of victims,โ according to the Miami Herald.
The fedsโ memo said there was โa large volume of images of Epstein, images and videos of victims who are either minors or appear to be minors, and over ten thousand downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography.โ
But the memo fell short of incriminating anyone else who may have been associated with Epstein.
Trump had socialized with Epstein decades ago when he was a New York real estate mogul.
The president was accused of being on Epsteinโs client list by tech billionaire Elon Musk, whose relationship with the president turned sour after his short stint at the White House, leading the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk did not provide any evidence to prove Trump was on any suspected list.
House Democrats tried to advance a procedural motion that would have cleared the way for lawmakers to vote to release the Epstein files, but Republicans blocked it on Tuesday.
When asked about the memo at a recent Cabinet meeting, Trump said, โAre you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guyโs been talked about for years.โ
โI mean, I canโt believe youโre asking a question on Epstein at a time like this, where weโre having some of the greatest success and also tragedy with what happened in Texas. It just seems like a desecration,โ Trump said, referring to the July 4 flooding disaster along the Guadalupe River.
Trump defended Bondi to reporters Tuesday, saying she handled the review of the Epstein files โvery well.โ When asked if his name appeared in any documents, he said, โNo.โ
