Trump tries to blame others as tensions rise around handling of Epstein case
By MELISSA GOLDIN and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press AP President Donald Trump is countering criticism of the Justice Department s failure to release much-hyped records around the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking situation trying to place blame on former authorities executives Related Articles Federal lawsuit seeks to stop ICE agents from arresting people at immigration courts states sue FEMA for canceling grant activity that guards against natural disasters Trump slams his own supporters as weaklings for falling for what he now calls the Epstein hoax ICE flexes authority to sharply expand detention without bond hearing Pentagon ends deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles On Tuesday he accused former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden as well as former FBI Director James Comey of making up such documents I would say that you know these files were made up by Comey they were made up by Obama they were made up by the Biden Trump communicated members of the press at the White House before departing for an event in Pennsylvania The president on Wednesday posted on Truth Social blaming Democrats in general for a new SCAM that we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax Epstein was arrested in and unveiled dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month later Investigators concluded that he killed himself Trump presented no evidence in claiming that Democrats and Comey tampered with documents related to Epstein s circumstance Comey was fired in two years before Epstein s arrest and has not returned to the leadership since Obama was long gone from the White House by the time of Epstein s death During Biden s presidency the Justice Department put on trial Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and secured a conviction against her but there is zero indication that he or anyone from the White House had anything at any point to do with that matter Comey was a Republican for the greater part of his adult life but mentioned in that he was that he was no longer registered with the party Trump suggested last year that he was considering releasing information about the Epstein development if he won a second term In February the Justice Department published various leadership documents regarding the scenario but there were no new revelations Then earlier this month it acknowledged that a months-long review of additional evidence in the leadership s possession had not revealed a list of clients and commented no more files related to the affair other than a video meant to prove that Epstein killed himself would be made residents The announcement led to outcry from Trump supporters Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared to intimate in a Fox News interview in February that a client list was sitting on my desk to be reviewed for release She declared last week that she was referring to the Epstein affair file generally as opposed to an actual client list Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino then had a contentious conversation at the White House as backlash grew to the Justice Department s decision to withhold records Trump members of his administration and conservative influencers have spread unsubstantiated insists surrounding Epstein for years Conspiracy theories about Epstein s death are a popular trope in right-wing spheres playing on Trump s repeated promises to reveal and dismantle the deep state a supposed secret framework of powerful people manipulating leadership decisions behind the scenes Trump s rivals have in the last few days taken advantage of right-wing fissures over Epstein Several Democratic lawmakers are calling for the release of all Epstein files and suggesting Trump could be resisting because he or someone close to him is featured in them
