cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/33008020
NEW YORK (AP) ā As his supporters erupt over the Justice Departmentās failure to release much-hyped records in Jeffrey Epsteinās sex trafficking investigation, President Donald Trumpās strategy has been to downplay the issue.
His problem? That nothing-to-see-here approach doesnāt work for those who have learned from him that they must not give up until the governmentās deepest, darkest secrets are exposed.
Last week, the Justice Department and the FBI abruptly walked back the notion that thereās an Epstein client list of elites who participated in the wealthy New York financierās trafficking of underage girls. Trump quickly defended Attorney General Pam Bondi and chided a reporter for daring to ask about the documents.
The online reaction was swift, with followers calling the Republican president āout of touchā and demanding transparency.
On Saturday, Trump used his Truth Social platform to again attempt to call supporters off the Epstein trail amid reports of infighting between Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino over the issue. He suggested the turmoil was undermining his administration ā āall over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein.ā
That did little to mollify Trumpās supporters, who urged him to release the files or risk losing his base. At least one follower responded to Trumpās post by saying it seemed as though the president was just trying to make the issue go away ā but assured him it wouldnāt.
The political crisis is especially challenging for Trump because itās one of his own making. The president has spent years stoking dark theories and embracing QAnon-tinged propaganda that casts him as the only savior who can demolish the ādeep state.ā
Now that heās running the federal government, the community he helped build is coming back to haunt him. Itās demanding answers he either isnāt able to or does not want to provide.
āThe faulty assumption Trump and others make is they can peddle conspiracy theories without any blowback,ā said Matt Dallek, a political scientist at George Washington University. āThe Epstein case is a neat encapsulation that it is hard to put the genie back in the bottle.ā
This predates him, and is the foundation of the far-right. Prior to Trumpās entrance, Pizzagate is what rallied the far-right against the āDeep Stateā Democrats. He built his cult on that foundation, whether he knew it or not. Protecting high-profile pedophiles goes against the core vision of his cult.
PROTECTING Pedophiles goes AGAINST their Vision which is why they Voted for President TWICE Jeffrey Epsteinās Best Friend!
They didnāt believe that connection was true until now. Thatās the point. They thought it was all part of the Democratic Deep State conspiracy.
Rubbish. They want to out libs who are pedarists, they care little about prediclictions of their own. The GOP is riddles with them, they literally voted for one as proof of my assertion.
Iām not saying they care about Trump being on the list. Iām saying they care about Trumpās DOJ continuing to protect the pedophiles, and are blaming Trump for it.
Take a look how badly heās been getting ratioād on Truth Social for three days.
It just occurred to me, but probably for most celebrities / public figures they donāt care so much about what people are saying ātoā them on social media. But this particular guy has laid the foundation for his whole self-worth on what people say to him on there (and in the media). I hope he spends every evening relentlessly scrolling through those negative comments.
That would require Trumpy to read, which I highly doubt that he can.
If right wing people were equipped to deal with reality, they wouldnāt be right wing people.
While you are right, Trump allowed that shit to be amplified and legitimizing it. The republicans (at least the more sensible ones) always knew that part of their electorate was into rabid conspiracies, but they would at least town things down, and did not allowed that shit to get much traction. With Trump, that become their bread and butter. Alternative facts, fake news, and all that shit!