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| Trump decides to wrap his arms around the Epstein files |
Despite his repeated attempts to prevent the release of the notorious files—social media dismissals, claims of "Democrat hoax," calls and Situation Room persuasion sessions with release backers—Trump now promotes their release himself.
So, where do we go from here?
Which begs the enormous question:
Why?
A sudden burst of moral clarity?
Nope.
A careful review of evidence convincing him to do what's right?
Nope.
With Trump, there's always a calculation--always an angle of personal political (or sometimes financial) advantage. Whether it's accepting a Qatari jet, promoting a Venezuelan coup, pardoning a crypto billionaire, or calling up the National Guard (or, in the case of January 6, not doing so), every move is transactional. Every reversal has a purpose.
So, what's his angle here?
Trump's angle here is likely to weave a political narrative from three strands of calculation.
1) Trump's leaning into "transparency." Obviously, he and his team believe there's nothing in the files any more damaging than what's already come out in the Epstein emails: Trump being "the dog that didn't bark," or that Trump "knew about the girls." He's already proven that he can maintain his base by explaining away things like this (such as his "locker room banter" of "Grab 'em by the p***y" or a "perfect" phone call with Zelensky)," or ignoring/denying them altogether (like alleged infidelities with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal).
Even if the news is somewhat damning, Trump's "nothing to hide" ploy creates the illusion that it must be acceptable, after all.
2) Trump's counting on deflection. Through his briefings with his hand-picked AG (and sycophantic pitbull) Pam Bondi—or maybe through personal knowledge—Trump perhaps thinks the file info might be even more damaging to his political foes—for example, prominent Democrats including Bill Clinton—or maybe he could use it as possible leverage to discredit or put the squeeze on liberal universities with known connections to Epstein (i.e., Harvard, MIT, Stanford) or corporate powerhouses already mentioned, such as Elon Musk. His 2016 campaign deflection of "What about her emails?!" worked better than anyone really could have predicted.
3) Trump's appealing to his base. Trump knows that Epstein's name is radioactive among his remarkably fervent MAGA-heads and the GOP. By backing release, Trump taps into his base's unrelenting anger at “elites,” presenting himself as the one exposing corruption and “putting away pedophiles.” This isn’t about the files themselves — it’s about energizing supporters who see the release as proof that Trump is fighting the establishment, which is how Trump got elected in the first place.
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| Get ready for spin "like you wouldn't believe" |
The reality is that many files will remain sealed under court order, requiring judicial approval—not Trump’s. His DOJ can still petition to withhold certain records or push for redactions under the guise of “national security,” but the ultimate decision rests with the courts. In other words, Trump can posture about release, yet the judiciary holds the keys.
But Trump's name will appear.
And to control the narrative, Trump now owns it.
He will authorize the release of the Epstein files.
My cut: buckle in for the tornado-like spin that is sure to follow.
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