Donald Trump’s obvious panic about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein shows a disastrous attempt at damage control. Instead of keeping a potential scandal quiet, he’s practically spotlighted it. His shifting excuses keep drawing attention to what he wants hidden. His lies, blame-shifting, and outbursts have left his allies confused and turning on each other. His refusal to stay silent makes him look as jumpy as a suspect under harsh police questioning.
Republicans in Congress quickly wrapped up for summer to avoid demands to release Epstein-related files held by the Justice Department. But three Republicans joined Democrats on the House oversight committee to push for disclosure. Even Speaker Mike Johnson, usually a Trump loyalist, broke ranks, bluntly stating, “This is not a hoax”—directly contradicting Trump and stunning observers.
With every flustered excuse, Trump plunges his administration deeper into chaos. His cabinet members are now at each other’s throats—Attorney General Pam Bondi versus Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, like scorpions trapped in a jar.
Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell is talking—but what does she know, and can she be trusted?
Trump has managed to push Bondi, once a dependable defender on Fox News, into near-hiding. Reports say she clashed with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, a far-right commentator who built his career pushing conspiracy theories about Epstein’s files containing blackmail secrets. After Bondi denied the existence of a “client list,” Bongino reportedly sulked at home, refusing to come to work, upset that his credibility with MAGA followers was crumbling. Bondi accused him of leaking damaging stories blaming her for the MAGA backlash. The thin-skinned loudmouth was in a full-blown meltdown.
On July 15, Trump claimed Bondi had only given him a “very quick briefing” about whether his name appeared in the files, then baselessly blamed Obama, James Comey, and the Biden administration for fabricating them. The next day, he posted on Truth Social that “Radical Left Democrats” and “Fake News” were behind “the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”
But on July 23, the Wall Street Journal reported that Bondi had actually briefed Trump in May—confirming his name was in the files. This raised another question: How did Elon Musk know? In June, Musk tweeted (then quickly deleted) that Trump’s name was in the files. Did Bondi or FBI Director Kash Patel tip him off? Where else would he have gotten that idea?
Enter Tulsi Gabbard, stepping into the mess to win Trump’s favor. On the same day the Journal exposed Trump’s lie, she held a White House press conference to unveil a “treasonous conspiracy” by Obama officials—claiming they fabricated the Russiagate scandal (which was, in fact, based on real Russian interference). Her presentation was a mix of falsehoods, merging actual Russian meddling with debunked claims about hacked voting machines. She also triumphantly pushed an old Russian propaganda line—that Hillary Clinton was on heavy tranquilizers—long exposed as fake.
The whole spectacle is a circus of denial, finger-pointing, and self-inflicted wounds, with Trump at the center, making everything worse.The FBI labeled these claims as “objectively false.” Gabbard’s behavior unwittingly positioned her as an easy target for Russian influence. Trump was delighted, commenting, “She’s hotter than everybody. She’s the most attractive person in the room right now.” He later posted that Democrats were pushing another “Russia hoax,” this time disguised as the “Jeffrey Epstein scam.”
In an unusual moment, Trump revealed his anxiety by saying, “Don’t talk about Trump.” Meanwhile, Bondi grew frustrated with Gabbard, who had unexpectedly handed her work for a “criminal referral,” seemingly to satisfy Trump’s desire for revenge. Bondi, who had previously fueled the “client list” controversy, wasn’t prepared for Gabbard’s interference. The competition for Trump’s favor continued, with one loyalist outmaneuvering another.
Bondi managed the situation by forming a special “strike force” to review—and likely dismiss—Trump’s repeated attempts to discredit official reports, including the Mueller investigation and the Senate Intelligence Committee’s findings on his 2016 campaign’s ties to Russian operatives. Though visibly irritated, Bondi still referred to Gabbard as “my friend.” The exhausting cycle of Trump’s inner-circle politics continued endlessly.
To falsely implicate Obama, Trump shared an AI-generated video showing Obama kneeling in chains before a smirking Trump in the Oval Office, set to the song “YMCA.” Trump seemed to believe portraying himself as a vindictive authority figure would distract from his own controversies, including his association with Epstein.
“He’s committed crimes,” Trump said of Obama, adding, “There’s no question, but he has immunity. He owes me big.” He was referencing the Supreme Court’s ruling granting him immunity for “official acts,” which shielded him from prosecution over January 6th. Trump framed this as his own doing, claiming Obama owed him for fabricated “crimes” meant to shift focus from Epstein.
After failing to get Epstein’s grand jury records released—a request predictably denied—Trump pivoted. His former personal attorney, Todd Blanche, who defended him in the Stormy Daniels case, was abruptly sent to interview Ghislaine Maxwell in prison. This wasn’t a task for an ordinary prosecutor; instead, the deputy attorney general took charge in an unprecedented move. The case had already concluded with Maxwell’s conviction for sex trafficking and perjury.Here’s a more fluent and natural rewrite of the text while preserving its original meaning:
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Ghislaine Maxwell received a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking minors. Yet Blanche, misspelling her first name in his haste, stated: “If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who committed crimes against victims, the FBI and DOJ will hear what she has to say.” He suggested Maxwell could now “finally say what really happened,” as if she might reveal the existence of a fictional “client list” to implicate certain individuals—or perhaps clear Trump of any wrongdoing.
Blanche’s comment seemed to hint at a possible pardon or clemency. When asked about it, Trump simply said, “I’m allowed to do it.” Interestingly, on July 14, Solicitor General D. John Sauer—who represented Trump in the presidential immunity case—had filed a Supreme Court brief opposing Maxwell’s appeal. Sauer wrote that from 1994 to 2004, Maxwell “coordinated, facilitated, and contributed to” Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of young women and underage girls. He argued she couldn’t escape conviction based on Epstein’s earlier plea deal and that her trial had been fair.
But the growing backlash against Epstein appeared to shift the administration’s stance. Blanche later granted Maxwell limited immunity. Her lawyer, David O. Markus, was a close friend of Blanche’s. In the Stormy Daniels hush-money case, Markus had advised Blanche to discredit Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, by branding him the “Greatest Liar of All Time” (GLOAT). Blanche even appeared twice on Markus’s low-profile podcast, calling him a friend.
Over two days, Blanche reportedly questioned Maxwell about 100 people—though the identities, questions, and answers remain unknown. One can only speculate whether he asked about Trump’s alleged encounters with underage models.
A 2023 Variety exposé on the fashion industry’s exploitation quoted a prominent agent calling Trump a “fixture” backstage at Fashion Week. “I’d see Donald Trump standing there while a 13-year-old was changing,” the agent said. In 1992, Trump reportedly convinced Florida businessman George Houraney to sponsor a “calendar girl” contest with 28 young models flown to Mar-a-Lago—but only two guests showed up. “It was him and Epstein,” Houraney told The New York Times. “I said, ‘Donald, this was supposed to be a VIP party. Just you and Epstein?'”
One model, Karen Mulder—a former Vogue cover star—later described her experience with Trump and Epstein as “disgusting,” per the Miami Herald.
In 1993, Epstein brought Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Stacey Williams to Trump Tower. She had met Trump at a 1992 Christmas party and recalled their close friendship. “The second he saw me,” she told CNN in 2024, “he pulled me close, and his hands were all over me—my breasts, hips, butt—and wouldn’t stop. I froze. I didn’t understand what was happening.”
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This version improves readability while maintaining the original details and tone. Let me know if you’d like any further refinements!Here’s a more natural and fluent version of the text while preserving the original meaning:
After Trump groped her, he continued talking to Epstein, and they were “looking at each other and smiling.”
Markus said, “We haven’t spoken to the president or anyone about a pardon yet.” Still, he added, “The president said this morning that he has the power to do so. We hope he uses that power in a fair and just way.”
The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Maxwell for a deposition on August 11, but her lawyer said she hasn’t decided whether to cooperate.
While Blanche rushed back to Washington, Trump seemed to have run out of conspiracy theories—at least for the moment. He tried a new approach, his boldest deflection yet. “I’m not focused on conspiracy theories like you are,” he scolded the White House press corps. Then, in an uncharacteristic moment that revealed his anxiety, he said something completely out of character: “Don’t talk about Trump.”
But Trump quickly snapped back to form. On the evening of July 26, while visiting his golf courses in Scotland, he posted that Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Al Sharpton should be prosecuted for endorsing Kamala Harris in exchange for millions of dollars. “They should all be prosecuted!” he demanded. Though baseless, the accusation perfectly captured Trump’s transactional view of politics. A few hours later, in the early morning of July 27, he shared a Fox News clip of right-wing commentator Mark Levin, writing in all caps: “THIS IS A MASSIVE OBAMA SCANDAL!”
Sidney Blumenthal, a former senior adviser to Bill and Hillary Clinton, has published three books of a planned five-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man, Wrestling With His Angel, and All the Powers of Earth. He is a columnist for The Guardian US and co-hosts The Court of History podcast.
