‘Weaklings’: Trump dumps ‘past’ MAGA supporters over Epstein fallout

“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work … because I don’t want their support anymore.” Trump also accused them of distracting from the achievements of his administration.

Before the election, Trump promised to release files related to the Epstein case. During a February event at the White House, the administration furnished several right-wing podcasters and influencers with folders of documents, in what was described as “phase one” of a bigger release.

But those files turned out to rehash information that was already known. Bondi had promised to release more documents, but in a memo just over a week ago, the FBI said there was nothing further to add.

“This systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list’,” the FBI and Department of Justice memo said.

“There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.

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“One of our highest priorities is combating child exploitation and bringing justice to victims. Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.”

While insinuations about an Epstein cover-up are driven by far-right activists and conspiracy theorists, and thrive on the internet and in MAGA media, many prominent Republicans and government members are also calling for greater transparency.

On Tuesday (Wednesday AEST), Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson – the second in line to the presidency – said he wanted the remaining documents to be released.

“I’m for transparency,” he told a conservative commentator in an interview. “We should put everything out there and let the people decide.”

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Johnson also called on Bondi to explain her previous remarks that the Epstein case files were sitting on her desk, ready for release. “I’m anxious to get this behind us,” he said.

Amid a bitter, public falling out with Trump, billionaire Elon Musk alleged Trump was himself named in the files, though he did not elaborate and later deleted the post.

Trump and Epstein were friends in decades gone by and moved in the same New York finance circles, but the US president has strongly denied any involvement in Epstein’s sex rings and says their relationship ruptured at some point in the 2000s.

One of the key MAGA influencers driving the Epstein push, Laura Loomer, reacted to Trump’s latest comments with relative indifference, saying the Epstein issue was “one of many” and that it should not be allowed to drive apart and consume the MAGA movement.

“It’s wild to me how so many people can’t walk and chew gum at the same time,” she said on X, adding that she understood why Trump was annoyed.

Loomer called for a special prosecutor to investigate the Epstein matter. In an interview with right-wing media outlet Just The News, Trump said he was open to the Epstein case being investigated as part of a broader probe into the alleged weaponisation of the justice system.

Another prominent Epstein truther, 31-year-old Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk, said he understood Trump’s frustration because the president wanted attention focused on the successes of his first six months. But the MAGA tribe wanted to find out the truth about Epstein to protect Trump from the “deep state”, he said.

“We do not care about the story as a way to hurt Donald Trump. In fact, it’s the opposite,” Kirk said on his podcast. “We look at the Epstein story as a skeleton key to be able to look under the hood, dismantle and deconstruct the administrative state to protect Donald Trump from his adversaries.”

Meanwhile, the US Justice Department fired Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey and a prosecutor in the federal case against Epstein, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press late on Wednesday, Washington time.

There was no specific reason given for her firing from the US attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York, according to one of the people who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters.

Her termination comes shortly after she prosecuted Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offences.

The Justice Department recently appeared to acknowledge the existence of an investigation into James Comey, though the basis for that inquiry is unclear. He was abruptly fired by Trump during his first administration in 2017.