{"id":2569858,"date":"2026-02-13T18:11:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T23:11:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/team-trumps-epstein-messaging-has-been-a-disaster-but-its-not-too-late-to-turn-it-around\/"},"modified":"2026-02-13T18:15:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T23:15:30","slug":"team-trumps-epstein-messaging-has-been-a-disaster-but-its-not-too-late-to-turn-it-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/team-trumps-epstein-messaging-has-been-a-disaster-but-its-not-too-late-to-turn-it-around\/","title":{"rendered":"Team Trump&#8217;s Epstein Messaging Has Been a Disaster, but It&#8217;s Not Too Late to Turn It Around"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fteam-trumps-epstein-messaging-has-been-a-disaster-but-its-not-too-late-to-turn-it-around%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2569858&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>the piece analyzes the release of millions of Jeffrey Epstein files by the Department of Justice under the Epstein Files openness Act and how the Trump administration has handled the disclosures, highlighting controversy over messaging, accountability, and public trust.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Context of the release: On Jan 30, the DOJ published about 3.5 million searchable Epstein-related pages. While Trump is shown as having released material that had long been hidden, critics say the administration could have managed the rollout more deftly from the start, and this week\u2019s coverage was no exception.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Key players and dynamics: Attorney General Pam Bondi\u2019s testimony drew sharp scrutiny for tone and relevance, while congress members Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna pressured the administration to unredact and release the files after significant resistance. Kash patel, the FBI director at the time, defended the administration\u2019s transparency, and Trump repeatedly framed the issue as \u201cboring\u201d or irrelevant to the economy.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Content and public reaction: The Epstein files prompted widespread discussion on social media about a possible <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >global child sex-trafficking network<\/a>. The reporting cites disturbing references and redacted details, fueling calls for accountability. Supporters and opponents clashed over how seriously the administration should be taking the disclosures.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Political and strategic implications: The article argues that optics matter as much as substance; deflecting questions toward the stock market or the economy weakens public trust. It calls for a serious, clear examination into Epstein\u2019s associates and swift actions if warranted, arguing that genuine transparency is essential to uphold justice and restore faith in government.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Public sentiment and pressure: Rasmussen-like commentary and numerous social-media reactions suggest a significant portion of the public distrusts the DOJ\u2019s handling of Epstein-related information, creating pressure on Trump to demonstrate accountability and push for further investigations.<\/p>\n<p>the piece frames the Epstein file release as a litmus test for leadership, transparency, and the willingness to pursue justice, urging clear explanations and decisive action to quell distrust and fulfill the promise of full disclosure.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_5)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_6)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_7)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_8)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_9)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>To say that President Donald Trump and members of his administration could have handled the release of millions of files related to deceased child sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein better would be an understatement.<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, as anyone who has recently spent time on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-new-acting-attorney-general-jeff-rosen-recently-wrote-an-essay-on-foreign-influence-in-us-elections-this-tells-us-a-little-about-his-knowledge-of-whats-going-on-today\/\" title=\"The New Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen Recently Wrote an Essay on Foreign Influence in US Elections \u2013 This Tells Us A Little About His Knowledge of What\u2019s Going On Today\">social media platform<\/a> X could attest, many Americans are rightly upset at the way the White House has handled the release of the files. That goes for Attorney General Pam Bondi saying they were on her desk last year, to Trump himself dismissing the documents as irrelevant.<\/p>\n<p>But for all the bungled messaging, however, the opportunity to go down in history as heroes remains in front of them.<\/p>\n<p>The latest crisis began on Jan. 30, when the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/department-justice-publishes-35-million-responsive-pages-compliance-epstein-files\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Department of Justice<\/a>, in compliance with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/4405\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Epstein Files Transparency Act<\/a>, published 3.5 million <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/epstein\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">searchable files<\/a> on its website.<\/p>\n<p>While Trump deserves credit for actually releasing files that have been hidden for multiple administrations, things could have been finessed better from the jump, and this week was no exception.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadScript(src) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=src; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.async=true; \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.body.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadScript(\"https:\/\/embed.sendtonews.com\/player3\/embedcode.js?fk=s28Az7AY\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #stnvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#stnvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>Following said publication, the Epstein Files consumed the attention of X users, including quite a few sleuths. As they dug into the files, they discovered horrifying references that, all told, appeared to pain a picture of a global, satanic, cannibalistic, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/hundreds-bizarre-references-pizza-new-epstein-documents-raise-eyebrows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">child sex-trafficking<\/a> ring on a scale hitherto unimaginable.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/epstein\/files\/DataSet%209\/EFTA00878419.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one particularly dark <\/a>, written by Epstein in 2011, has made the rounds on X. It reads as follows:<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;[Redacted] said that she felt gods presence next to her when she was in bed. she knows that jesus watches over her and he helped save her life. Whoops.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Did Epstein refer to a little <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/hillary-clintons-hit-piece-several-christian-leaders-doesnt-get-response-hoping-never-proud\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Christian<\/a> girl whom he abused and then murdered? No one will say. Both the victim&rsquo;s name and the  recipient remain redacted.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, for obvious reasons, the awakening public will not and should not move on from such horrors. It makes no difference how often Trump and his lieutenants in the Department of Justice, the FBI, or elsewhere demand that we do.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, their repeated cry of &ldquo;nothing to see here&rdquo; has made them look complicit to many in what is believed to be a decades-old cover-up.<\/p>\n<p>Whether that is fair or not is not the argument. It&rsquo;s the optics that matter here.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;What we did, under President Trump&rsquo;s leadership, is produce the most transparent DOJ and FBI in history,&rdquo; FBI Director <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/fact-check-kash-patel-admit-deleting-huge-chunk-epstein-files\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kash Patel<\/a> said earlier this month in a clip posted to X. &ldquo;Three other administrations had the opportunity to do this. And we produced everything we legally and lawfully could.&rdquo; [:22]\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Kash Patel says he&rsquo;s done with the Epstein Files. So you should all just move along, nothing to see here. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qQmU8oSJp7\">pic.twitter.com\/qQmU8oSJp7<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Clayton Morris (@ClaytonMorris) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ClaytonMorris\/status\/2018916451109757042?\">February 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Of course, those remarks, made during an interview with Fox News&rsquo; Bret Baier, overlooked the fact that Congress, led by Republican Rep. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/doj-unredacts-alleged-epstein-co-conspirators-pressure-thomas-massie-ro-khanna\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Thomas Massie<\/a> of Kentucky and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, forced the administration to produce those files after nearly a year of stonewalling, particularly on the part of Bondi.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking of which, on Wednesday, Bondi delivered perhaps the most catastrophic testimony in the history of congressional hearings.<\/p>\n<p>In an epic moment of tone deafness, the attorney general deflected an Epstein-related question by citing the booming stock market.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what we should be talking about!&rdquo; she bellowed. &ldquo;We should be talking about making Americans safe.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/see-ultra-high-res-image-bondis-notes-shows-deadly-dirt-dems-walked-hearing-ready-use-necessary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bondi<\/a> then acted incredulous when a committee member rightly questioned the relevance of her stock-market comments.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Pam Bondi goes on a completely unhinged rant about the stock market when asked why she has not indicted any clients of Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n<p>Bondi says all Americans need to focus on other topics, like the economy, and not on Jeffrey Epstein&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-judiciary-committee-holds-hearing-to-address-threats-of-child-abuse-sexual-exploitation\/\" title=\"House Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation Threats.\">child trafficking network<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zwbtd3lkoH\">pic.twitter.com\/zwbtd3lkoH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShadowofEzra\/status\/2021617995387203645?\">February 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>One could scarcely imagine a bigger public humiliation for the Trump administration than what Bondi&rsquo;s testimony has produced.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, the president himself set the tone for all of this long ago.<\/p>\n<p>Recall, for instance, in July 2025, when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/explosive-jan-jobs-report-hits-trump-blockbuster-performance-jobs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump<\/a>, speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, called the Epstein case &ldquo;pretty boring stuff&rdquo; and wondered why people still cared about it.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand it,&rdquo; Trump said of his supporters&rsquo; interest in Epstein. &ldquo;Why they would be so interested. He&rsquo;s dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don&rsquo;t understand what the interest or what the fascination is. I really don&rsquo;t. And the credible information&rsquo;s been given.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Three-and-a-half million pages later, of course, we now know there was still &ldquo;credible information&rdquo; out there, and more that has yet to come.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But I don&rsquo;t understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It&rsquo;s pretty boring stuff,&rdquo; Trump added moments later. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s sordid, but it&rsquo;s boring. And I don&rsquo;t understand why it keeps going. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/lutnick-rips-globalist-elites-straight-faces-pillaging-american-dream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Howard Lutnick<\/a> stood to the president&rsquo;s left.<\/p>\n<p>When Trump said &ldquo;fake news,&rdquo; Lutnick laughed.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, Lutnick appears more than 100 times in the recently released Epstein Files.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">NOW &ndash; Trump: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody. It&rsquo;s pretty boring stuff. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going.&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/JL8xMR7VIU\">pic.twitter.com\/JL8xMR7VIU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/disclosetv\/status\/1945254920568873156?\">July 15, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>To put it mildly, many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-trump-just-gave-single-best-answer-history-spend-money-climate-change-narrative-dems-use-non-stop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump<\/a> supporters have refused to accept the administration&rsquo;s Epstein-related messaging.<\/p>\n<p>On X, for instance, the outrage has not subsided for two weeks. In fact, it has only intensified, with some calling for revolution.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Imagine hating Thomas Massie for exposing the pedophiles in government who are raping, murdering and eating America&rsquo;s children and DEFENDING those same pedophiles because the stock market is up.<\/p>\n<p>Come Lord Jesus, come.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; ThePatrioticBlonde&#127482;&#127480; (@ImBreckWorsham) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ImBreckWorsham\/status\/2022322990671712377?\">February 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Rush use to say the relationship Trump built with his supporters could only be destroyed by Trump, well he was right and Trump has done exactly that.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Trisha Hope &ndash; National Delegate-TX (@JustTheTweets17) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustTheTweets17\/status\/2022309188118921301?\">February 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">If Trump won&rsquo;t fire Lutnick, Trump should be fired.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe conservatives should vote Democrat in 2026 and 2028 so that the GOP burns to the ground.<\/p>\n<p>Short-term pain, long-term gain.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Steve Franssen (@SteveFranssen) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SteveFranssen\/status\/2022343269813031346?\">February 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The French Revolution began over far less than what we are dealing with at present.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Libertarian Mama &#128276; (@LibertarianMama) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LibertarianMama\/status\/2021622004462567835?\">February 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Remember&hellip;. They&rsquo;ve already told us. They aren&rsquo;t arresting anyone over the Epstein files.<\/p>\n<p>They&rsquo;ll arrest you for not paying taxes but raping, torturing, killing and eating children is not something them and their friends have to worry about?<\/p>\n<p>We need a revolution.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Alan Roberts (@AlanRoberts) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlanRoberts\/status\/2022270875312001334?\">February 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Why isn&rsquo;t there a revolution going on right now?<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mr. Nobody (@MmisterNobody) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MmisterNobody\/status\/2022079022583496793?\">February 12, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In the end, of course, regardless of what Trump might believe, the Epstein problem rests at his feet. It makes no difference that Democrats had those files for four years and took no action.<\/p>\n<p>No one expected justice from former President Joe Biden&rsquo;s merry band of tyrants and criminals. And no one cares about that now anyway. Trump cannot escape responsibility, no matter how many times he or anyone else tries to change the subject.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But what about the 68% of Americans that don&rsquo;t believe Trump&rsquo;s DOJ about Epstein?&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/dont-believe-lying-anti-trump-polls-reality-just-beat-obamas-first-term-approval-numbers-rasmussen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rasmussen Reports<\/a> pollster Mark Mitchell wrote in response to one X user&rsquo;s attempt to downplay the content of the files. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s Trump&rsquo;s problem to fix that. How does he do it?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">But what about the 68% of Americans that don&rsquo;t believe Trump&rsquo;s DOJ about Epstein?<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s Trump&rsquo;s problem to fix that. How does he do it?<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports (@honestpollster) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/honestpollster\/status\/2022339983802302664?\">February 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Indeed, how does Trump fix that problem? Well, he could start by taking it seriously.<\/p>\n<p>Deflecting questions and talking about the economy makes a public that does not trust the government view the White House with suspicion, and rightly so.<\/p>\n<p>Then, he could instruct his Attorney General &mdash; preferably someone other than Bondi &mdash; to launch a serious investigation into everyone associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/nancy-mace-says-seen-unredacted-epstein-list-shields-prime-ministers-former-presidents\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Epstein<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>From there, arrests and punishments must follow swiftly if justified.<\/p>\n<p>But that all starts with complete transparency, beginning yesterday. The Democrats have latched onto the files and crafted a narrative that they will deliver justice.<\/p>\n<p>Trump ran on the issue of releasing these files. What is in those files matters to a lot of good people whose only motivation is to protect women and children from monsters.<\/p>\n<p>The White House must follow through on a promise and explain plainly why it will not or cannot honor that promise in instances where people feel like they are being misled.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s a paraphrase of the main substance, in more concise terms:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Claiming that President Trump and his aides could have managed the Epstein-file release better is an understatement. On social media, many Americans are upset about how the White House framed the release. Critics point to things like Attorney General Pam Bondi saying the files were on her desk last year and Trump brushing the materials off as irrelevant. Despite the missteps in messaging, there remains a chance for the administration to be remembered as heroic if they handle it properly.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The recent trouble began January 30, when the Department of Justice, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, posted 3.5 million searchable files. While Trump gets some credit for releasing materials that had been shielded through multiple administrations, the initial approach could have been smoother, and this week continued that pattern.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; As the Epstein files drew attention on X, many observers dug into them and found disturbing references that suggested a vast, global network involved in child exploitation. One particularly troubling 2011 note circulated online, though many details were redacted, leaving questions about the victims and recipients. Public shock is not easily assuaged, and critics argue the optics matter more than ever, whether or not the administration contends there is nothing more to see.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; A key figure, FBI Director Kash Patel, emphasized that the DOJ and FBI had become the most transparent in history, noting that previous administrations had opportunities to do the same and that they released everything legally and could. But this defense glosses over the fact that Congress, led by both Republican and Democratic members, compelled the administration to release the files after significant resistance, especially from Bondi.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Bondi\u2019s congressional testimony was widely seen as a misstep, with a tone-deaf moment where she redirected questions about Epstein to focus on the stock market and the economy. Critics highlighted that her remarks appeared out of touch with the seriousness of the case and suggested a perceived attempt to obscure accountability.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; For many Trump supporters, the messaging around Epstein remains deeply controversial and fuels online hostility for weeks. Some supporters even called for drastic measures, reflecting a splintered response that challenges the administration\u2019s narrative.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; In the end, the Epstein matter arguably rests with Trump. Even if Democrats also held the files for years, the current political spotlight makes accountability seem unavoidable. A Rasmussen poll cited in the piece underscores that a substantial portion of the public doubts the administration\u2019s handling, not because they doubt the facts, but because they question the seriousness and transparency of the response.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The piece argues that the path forward is clear: take the issue seriously, stop deflecting to the economy, and task a credible attorney general (preferably someone other than Bondi) with a thorough investigation into anyone tied to Epstein. If warranted, arrests and punishments should follow swiftly. Crucially, the administration must commit to complete transparency and explain openly why certain promises about releasing files could or could not be fulfilled, so the public can understand what is known, what remains unknown, and why<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2569859,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2222469463.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[70345,9006,16409,73788,3634],"class_list":["post-2569858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-campaign-strategy-2","tag-epstein","tag-messaging","tag-political-crisis-2","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2222469463.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2569858"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569858\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2569862,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2569858\/revisions\/2569862"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2569859"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2569858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2569858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2569858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}