President Donald Trump's MAGA base has portrayed him as a defender against predators. According to reporting, some supporters have continued backing Trump despite allegations and documents related to his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Writing Monday, Salon.com columnist Amanda Marcotte noted that much of Trump's first year has involved efforts to block the release of the Epstein files. The investigation documents surrounding Epstein's indictment were initially part of a pledge by Trump's administration officials to release them, but the administration's position changed once Trump's connection to Epstein became a focus of the documents.
Attorney General Pam Bondi released a binder of information, including mostly publicly available material and heavily redacted pages. This release was followed by months of requests from conservatives asking about the administration's decision to redact portions of the documents.
"A New York Times investigation published on Dec. 18 provided a window into exactly why Trump is so worried," Marcotte wrote. "The report — based on interviews with Epstein's victims, friends and former employees — showed the intimacy of Trump and Epstein's association, raising questions about what the president knew about the financier's activities."
Trump maintains he never knew about Epstein's actions. Emails from Epstein show interactions between the financier and Trump involving references to underage victims in Epstein's circle.
One victim reported that she was raped by multiple men at Trump's home, Marcotte said.
"But Trump's most loyal voters, the MAGA base, have developed elaborate mythologies to deny the truth about the president," Marcotte said.
According to Marcotte, some Trump supporters reject findings about the president's relationship with Epstein. "They've lied to themselves for this long, so why wouldn't they be able to keep doing so, even in the face of an onslaught of documents showing that Trump really did function as Epstein's closest friend?" she noted.
Some observers have noted that figures Trump has supported include those accused of similar conduct, while Trump's stated political focus includes opposition to what he characterizes as threats to children.
"The Epstein files reveal the truth MAGA is trying to avoid: In reality, men's privilege puts women and children in danger, because it makes it so easy for men to abuse without consequence," Marcotte explained.
The Epstein files have become a focal point in discussions about Trump's past associations. "The Epstein files have become emblematic of a kind of mirror that reflects what his supporters actually voted for: a world where men like Trump and his friends can get away with decades of sexual violence," Marcotte said.
Read the full column here.
