Democrats are ramping up their efforts to use the controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein to create division among Republicans. Despite polls showing little impact on President Donald Trump’s popularity, they are pushing forward with their narrative.
On a recent episode of ABC’s “This Week,” host Martha Raddatz discussed the Trump Justice Department’s move to unseal grand jury records related to Epstein. Chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas described this as an attempt to “relitigate” Epstein’s case after his death.
Raddatz also spoke with senior political correspondent Rachel Scott, who claimed that the fallout from the Epstein case is causing a significant backlash among Trump’s supporters. Scott suggested that this situation is splintering Trump’s base more than any previous incident during his presidency.
Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee weighed in, stating that he believes Attorney General Pam Bondi mishandled the messaging about Epstein. While he acknowledged some frustration, he stopped short of calling for her removal. He expressed hope that the situation could be resolved positively.
When Raddatz pressed Burchett about Trump’s dismissal of Republicans calling for the release of Epstein documents, he admitted he was upset but noted that he could handle it. Burchett later appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where he expressed frustration not only with the Trump administration but also with Democrats for blocking access to Epstein’s flight logs during Biden’s presidency.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, responded to concerns about her party’s interest in the Epstein files. She deflected, comparing Trump’s blame of Democrats to a CEO blaming a band for a corporate failure.
However, CBS News highlighted that recent polling shows the Epstein case is not diminishing Trump’s support among Republicans. CNN analyst Harry Enten noted that Trump’s approval rating within the GOP may even be rising, while Democrats in Congress are struggling with their own base.
Overall, the Democrats’ strategy to leverage the Epstein controversy faces challenges, as polling suggests it may not have the desired effect on Trump’s standing within his party.