A newly released government memo dismissing long-swirling conspiracy theories surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender, has triggered strong backlash from key figures in Donald Trump’s political orbit, who now accuse the President of undermining the transparency he once promised.
Among the loudest critics is Trump’s former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who posted a sharp rebuke on social media. “Please understand the EPSTEIN AFFAIR is not going away,” Flynn wrote in a direct message to Trump, warning that unanswered questions would make it harder for the administration to “move forward on so many other monumental challenges our nation is facing.”
Bannon: MAGA movement risks electoral collapse
Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon echoed the frustration in a fiery speech at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit on July 12. He warned that downplaying Epstein’s ties and death could fracture Trump’s voter base.
“For this to go away, you’re going to lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement,” Bannon said. “If we lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement right now, we’re going to lose 40 seats in 2026, we’re going to lose the presidency.”
Megyn Kelly: “Only two possibilities”
Political commentator Megyn Kelly also weighed in with skepticism on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the credibility of recent law enforcement reviews into Epstein’s ties with powerful figures.
“There are really only two options,” she wrote. “Either there’s no huge undisclosed there there on Epstein… or there is a scandal that’s being covered up & it’s at [Trump’s] direction.”
Kelly pointed to inconsistencies in Pam Bondi’s public statements as further evidence of confusion or possible misdirection.
Memo says no “client list” found
The White House memo, released on Monday, states that after a comprehensive review of over 300 gigabytes of data, authorities found no incriminating client list and no indication that Epstein had blackmailed powerful individuals.
It also reaffirmed the FBI’s long-standing conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in his New York jail cell in 2019 — not as a result of foul play.
Trump dismisses the “Epstein obsession”
The backlash reached a boiling point after Trump himself appeared to distance his administration from the controversy, calling it a distraction driven by Democrats.
“For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Why are we giving publicity to files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the losers and criminals of the Biden administration?”
His post left many longtime supporters stunned — especially after Bondi’s earlier comments raised hopes that long-sought revelations were finally coming.