The Epstein controversy is reigniting tensions inside the MAGA movement, as some of Donald Trump’s most loyal allies turn on the administration, accusing it of secrecy and deception regarding the long-promised Epstein revelations.
Just 38 days into Trump’s return to the White House, right-wing influencer Mike Cernovich was among 15 conservative media figures summoned to a surprise meeting at the West Wing on February 27. While Cernovich expected a standard get-together with Vice President JD Vance and administration officials, what unfolded shocked many attendees.
According to insiders, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi unexpectedly entered the meeting and distributed binders labeled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1.” Conservative commentator Rogan O’Handley (known as @dc_draino) recounted the moment with excitement, recalling Bondi’s prior appearance on Fox News teasing new Epstein disclosures.
“I thought, ‘Holy c***, we’ve got the Epstein files,’” O’Handley said.
The influencers left the meeting flaunting the folders, boasting online that they now held explosive materials. Jessica Reed Kraus, another attendee, called the binders proof of a new media era: “Trump told us we are the most trusted media now.”
But the elation was short-lived. The binders turned out to contain nothing new—just heavily redacted documents, previously public flight logs, and Epstein’s old address book. Disappointed, the influencers were soon criticized by their own audiences for appearing to act as mouthpieces for the administration.
Now, five months later, some of Trump’s staunchest supporters are voicing anger over what they see as a lack of transparency. Cernovich has called for the release of the original search warrant applications from Epstein’s 2019 arrest, arguing that Bondi’s Justice Department could release them without a court order.
“This smells fishy. Why isn’t this basic information available?” he asked, urging an independent Inspector General to step in.
The backlash intensified after a July 7 memo from the DOJ claimed there was no Epstein “client list,” no blackmail evidence, and insisted Epstein died by suicide—not murder. The DOJ concluded no further disclosures were warranted.
The response from MAGA figures was scathing.
Podcaster Tim Dillon, who recently dined with Vice President Vance, said Vance claimed that thousands of hours of seized Epstein footage amounted to “commercial pornography” and didn’t feature powerful figures. Dillon wasn’t buying it: “If they don’t disclose everything, they’re done. People will see them as part of the cover-up.”
Dillon said Vance agreed with his concerns.
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones also claimed the White House contacted him recently. “They called and asked what I want,” Jones told Dillon. “I said, do what you were elected to do—be transparent about Epstein.”
Conservative youth leader Charlie Kirk, who commands a massive Gen-Z audience, echoed the sentiment. On his podcast, Kirk said his followers are “furious” and demand the truth. Although he briefly seemed to back down after a personal call from Trump, Kirk acknowledged the depth of frustration within the movement.
On July 23, Bondi announced her deputy, Todd Blanche, would visit Ghislaine Maxwell—Epstein’s convicted accomplice—at her Florida prison. The House Oversight Committee also announced it would subpoena Maxwell to testify.
But momentum for full disclosure stalled. That same day, House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly adjourned Congress for the summer, effectively avoiding a vote on a bipartisan bill that would compel the release of Epstein-related files.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that the DOJ informed Trump back in May that his name appeared in a “truckload” of Epstein documents.
Cernovich, still vocal, said no one from the White House has pressured him to stop talking. “It’s strange. Suddenly we’re not supposed to mention Epstein? Now Democrats like Ro Khanna and even Trump critics like Thomas Massie want these files released? The whole thing is bizarre.”
In a statement, the White House confirmed it regularly communicates with independent media figures to discuss underreported issues—but stopped short of addressing the Epstein uproar directly.
Still, Cernovich warned this might be a turning point: “On most issues, Trump leads and the base follows. Not on Epstein. This could be different.”
