The Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files saga has been a disaster from the beginning – at least in terms of optics. President Trump’s reaction to the whole affair has also been not only unimpressive but probably infuriating for many of his supporters. Now it appears he has disavowed one of his staunchest allies in Congress, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) over her insistence on publicizing documents relating to the late alleged sexual predator. This does not bode well for Trump himself or for the MAGA movement.
The split between the president and the congresswoman boiled over on X on Friday, November 14. Trump announced that he is withdrawing his support for her, as well as his endorsement. The following day, he took it to a new level, describing Greene as a “lightweight” and accusing her of betraying “the entire Republican Party when she turned Left, performed poorly on the pathetic View, and became the RINO that we all know she always was.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene the RINO?
This was just part of a rant that almost certainly left a lot of Trump supporters scratching their heads. In a later November 15 post, the president went as far as dubbing the Georgia representative “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Greene.”
“I never thought that fighting to release the Epstein files, defending women who were victims of rape, and fighting to expose the web of rich powerful elites would have caused this,” Greene wrote on X in response. “but here we are. And it truly speaks for itself.”
Greene defended herself at length, even posting two screenshots, one of which showed that Conservative Review awarded her a “Liberty Score” of 100% – an A grade – while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), in whom Trump appears to have a great deal of faith, managed just 43%, a grade F.
The other screenshot showed that Greene has received no campaign donations from the extraordinarily powerful lobbyist group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
“This and the Epstein files is why I’m being attacked by President Trump,” Greene mused. “It really makes you wonder what is in those files and who and what country is putting so much pressure on him? I forgive him and I will pray for him to return to his original MAGA promises.”
Epstein Files – Not Gone and Not Forgotten
Rumored links between Epstein and the Israelis have not been verified, and the mere discussion of them does appear to get under the skin of a lot of people on the right. Wild conspiracy theory, perhaps – but the handling of the Epstein files certainly does smack of a cover-up.
Worrisome indeed for true America First advocates is that, if Trump’s somewhat sudden and puzzling rage at Marjorie Taylor Greene is indeed all about her pursuit of the truth about Epstein, then something untoward is going on behind closed doors.
It is quite strange that President Trump is resisting all attempts to get the Epstein matter out in the open. On the one hand, he likely is frustrated that it has all been such a distraction, and most of what has become known as the Epstein files is now indeed in the public domain or in the hands of congressional investigators.
On the other hand, this entire matter should have been put to rest months ago. The DOJ should have devoted one or more press conferences to it, explaining very clearly to the public what they had, what they were doing about it, and, in no uncertain terms, what, if anything, was preventing them from getting everything out in the open. The president should have fully backed – and probably even insisted on – such an approach.
If there really is no cover-up and no secret deals going on behind the scenes to keep certain information – or names – buried, then the entire affair is a public relations blunder of astounding proportions.
The ‘Client List’ Conspiracy
Jeffrey Epstein’s “client list” has been the focus of discussion since the disgraced financier was jailed in 2019 to await trial. Was there ever such a list, though? The attorney representing Epstein’s alleged victims says no such list ever existed. And it would seem odd if Epstein had kept such a list.
What purpose would it have served? The conspiracy theorists say blackmail, which makes no sense. The alleged sex trafficker could have added any names to that list and it wouldn’t prove a thing. If he wanted to blackmail someone, he would want documented communications, audio, video, and photographs. A name on a list means nothing.
At one point, some of the women allegedly trafficked by Epstein threatened to release their own list but did not do so. Greene vowed to read the list on the House floor. In retrospect, this seemed like a publicity stunt. She didn’t follow through, and almost certainly that’s because neither she nor anyone else has ever seen such a list.
Trump’s frustration, then, is understandable, to an extent. It is widely accepted that no nefarious link between the president and Epstein existed. It would have been exposed by the anti-Trump media years ago.
Still, Trump’s very public anger over the Epstein files, which he calls a “hoax,” has ruffled a lot of feathers within the MAGA base. A comment he once made about not wanting the support of anyone who was still clamoring to see the documents made public did nothing to improve the situation.
Did Trump’s feud with Marjorie Taylor Greene begin, as he claimed, when he advised her to forget about running for either governor or a Senate seat in Georgia? Perhaps, though it seems the very public falling out was initiated by Trump. Greene has not directly attacked or criticized the man she campaigned for and stood by during two impeachments.
Trump’s Loyalty Issues
For the president’s supporters, a worrying trend is emerging. Trump has turned his back on Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). Both men have largely supported the president but take issue with him when they feel it is warranted.
Does America now have a man in the White House who tolerates nothing less than total and unwavering loyalty from every Republican on Capitol Hill? For MAGA world, that is a very uncomfortable question. Surely the president understands that not everyone is going to go along with him on every issue. The Republican Party has never been monolithic, as the Democratic Party became under Barack Obama.
Perhaps this is all a storm in the proverbial teacup. Trump has had a volatile relationship with a lot of top Republicans, many of whom are now strong allies and even respected members of the Cabinet.
But Marjorie Taylor Greene – looked down upon by many establishment Republicans and despised by the left – is a popular MAGA firebrand. The more Trump publicly berates her in his somewhat petulant and childish fashion, the more the foundations of what has become a historic MAGA coalition rumble and shift beneath the surface.
