To know anything about contemporary conservative politics and the MAGA movement within the Republican Party is to acknowledge one thing: Conspiracy theories are the currency that inspires, animates and drives the right’s rank-and-file members.
The list of conspiracy theories embraced by contemporary conservatives is not short, but near the top is an obsessive focus on the late millionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019 while facing federal charges of child sex trafficking, and allegations that he maintained a secret “client list.”
As The New York Times reported, Team Trump now wants its adherents to believe that list does not exist — after having already said the opposite.
For months, Attorney General Pam Bondi promised the release of documents on the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein that could reveal damaging details, drumming up anticipation over the files, long a source of speculation and conspiracy theories. But on Monday, a memo by the Justice Department undercut her own statements, pouring cold water on baseless claims. It amounted to a catalog of conclusions that affirmed those reached years earlier by investigators, including that Mr. Epstein killed himself while in a Manhattan cell awaiting trial.
“This systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” the DOJ memo said. “There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
The same memo added, “No further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”
In theory, this might seem sufficient. Donald Trump’s followers wanted a thorough investigation; Trump-appointed officials claim to have conducted just such a review; and the Trump administration is now effectively telling its base, “Move along, there’s nothing to see here.”
In practice, however, the apparent conclusion of the investigation has not been well received. On the contrary, as NBC News reported, much of the MAGA movement expressed outrage in response to the Justice Department’s memo. Indeed, the reaction wasn’t limited to the right: Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said online that Bondi’s handling of this mess “reeks of a coverup.”
At the center of the controversy is an unavoidable, albeit inconvenient, detail: It was members of Team Trump who helped light the match and fan the flames, starting a political fire that they’ve clearly lost control over.
In February, for example, during one of her many Fox News appearances, the attorney general was asked about the alleged “client list.” Bondi replied, “It’s sitting on my desk right now to review.” Around the same time, Trump lawyer Alina Habba also told a television audience, in reference to Epstein-related materials, “It’s incredibly disturbing. We have flight logs, information, names … that will come out.”
Soon after, administration officials, led in part by Bondi, organized an exclusive briefing for far-right personalities, specifically on Epstein. When the stunt proved to be a dud, sparking a backlash from conservative conspiracy theorists, the attorney general assured everyone that there would be a “Phase 2” to the so-called Epstein files. Now she’s largely said the opposite.
As part of the effort to end the controversy, the Justice Department did release a lengthy video showing the hallway outside Epstein’s jail cell, but as the Times’ report noted, the video “appears to be missing a minute just before midnight. The digital clock on the screen jumps from 11:58:58 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Officials did not immediately have an explanation for the apparent gap.” If you’re thinking this won’t help matters, you’re not alone. As this mess gets messier, the detail to remember is that this is a fiasco of Team Trump’s own making. When asked about the “client list,” Bondi said it was on her desk. Kash Patel and Don Bongino, before they became the FBI’s leaders, insisted that conspiracy theories related to Epstein were real and worth taking seriously. Even JD Vance, four years before he became vice president, railed against efforts to keep the alleged “client list” secret. The Ohio Republican wrote in a 2021 tweet, “If you’re a journalist and you’re not asking questions about this case you should be ashamed of yourself.” If members of Team Trump want to know who to blame for this debacle, they need only look in a mirror.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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