EDITORIAL: Trump and MAGA being RIPPED APART by Epstein scandal

The betrayal that MAGA diehards can't ignore

For years, Donald Trump and the MAGA machine ran on outrage. They weaponized conspiracy theories, shouted about “deep state” corruption, and vowed to expose the elite pedophile rings they claimed were protected by the political establishment. The Jeffrey Epstein scandal was central to that narrative. Trump, his allies, and right-wing influencers promised transparency, justice, and reckoning. But now, when it's time to deliver, they're folding—and the consequences could be seismic.

Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi—appointed by Trump to “get to the bottom” of the Epstein saga—casually admitted that the so-called “Epstein client list” doesn’t exist. Years of promises. Endless speculation. Teasers from Trumpworld about the “big reveal.” And suddenly… nothing. No list. No bombshells. Just backpedaling.

And MAGA doesn't know what to do.

Tucker Carlson is calling it a cover-up. Elon Musk is asking how anyone is supposed to trust this system. Influencers on the “Flagrant” podcast, no lefties by any means, are livid, saying the whole thing is an insult to their intelligence. These aren't liberals or Trump haters. These are Trump voters, Trump defenders, and people who built careers on MAGA outrage. And now they’re openly expressing what many on the left have long known: they’ve been lied to.

Now, under mounting pressure, Trump is calling for the release of pertinent grand jury documents related to Epstein—an obvious attempt to project transparency. But it’s selective, performative, and far too late. After years of obfuscation, deflection, and outright falsehoods, this sudden gesture feels less like accountability and more like a PR maneuver.

This is no minor scandal or fringe conspiracy. The Epstein case has always been about power—about who is protected, who’s held accountable, and who can buy their way out of justice. And now, Trump, who once pledged to “drain the swamp” and bring truth to light, is actively working to bury this story. He once floated the idea of pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell. His administration is now accused of editing a DOJ video to remove damaging material. His allies are scrambling to deflect or deny. And when confronted about his name being in the Epstein files, Trump blamed Biden and Obama and called the documents “made up”—a bizarre, almost nonsensical defense that signals panic, not innocence.

So what changed?

The answer is simple: power. Trump is no longer the outsider. He's no longer running to burn down the system—he is the system. He passed massive tax cuts that disproportionately benefited billionaires. His foreign policy was erratic and self-serving. His tariffs flopped. And now, as we learn that the DOJ under his administration won’t release Epstein-related files, we’re left to wonder: Is he protecting the very people who benefited most from his presidency?

The cracks in the MAGA movement are now gaping. Some influencers are turning on Trump. Others are doubling down, but without conviction. The outrage machine is sputtering. And the left must not ignore this moment.

This is the time to seize the narrative.

For too long, the right has monopolized anti-elite rhetoric. They branded themselves as truth-tellers, draining the swamp, exposing corruption. But what we’re seeing is the total unraveling of that illusion. Trump isn’t fighting the swamp—he’s neck-deep in it. He’s not challenging power—he’s protecting it. And MAGA voters who once believed they were part of a righteous crusade are beginning to realize they’ve been used.

The left must speak directly to those people.

We need to stop treating this like just another Trump scandal. This is an opportunity to show how elite impunity operates—how billionaires, whether they wear red hats or blue ties, too often escape scrutiny. This isn’t about gossip or political drama. This is about accountability. It’s about justice for victims of abuse. And it’s about whether we live in a country where the powerful can do anything without consequences.

This is our moment to challenge the right’s monopoly on outrage. The Epstein scandal should be a turning point—not just for Trump, but for the idea that MAGA ever stood for justice in the first place. Trump is not an outsider. He’s just another rich man protecting his friends and himself.