"As John Stoehr points out in his latest Editorial Board newsletter, Trump is now in a position of looking as if he’s eager to cover up this conspiracy, rather than to expose it. Indeed he’s become part of the conspiracy. This has created a crisis of faith for MAGA believers."

~ William Kristol (link is in /1)

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/2

"In failing to defeat evil, he has become it.

This almost theological facet of the story is why Lindsay Beyerstein believes there has been a 'qualitative conceptual shift' that virtually everyone, including yours truly, has so far missed. 'It has become conceivable to some of his most loyal supporters that he’s not just wrong but evil. That can’t be unthought, even if it can be repressed.'”

~ John Stoehr

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories
/3

In the conspiracy-addled mind of maga, Trump was supposed to defeat evil. By closing the Epstein case, he has become it

Maga is mad about more than a broken promise.

The Editorial Board. (www.editorialboard.com)

"Less than eight hours after proclaiming that the Jeffrey Epstein scandal was just some 'new SCAM' perpetrated by Democrats, about four days after he first attempted to float the wildly illogical claim that the Epstein 'Files [were] written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration,' DOJ fired Jim Comey’s daughter, Maurene."

~ Marcy Wheeler

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #MaureneComey #MAGA
/4

Pam Bondi Fired the Avenger of Sex Trafficking Victims on Donald Trump's Personal Authority - emptywheel

Pam Bondi fired Maurene Comey, one of the people who convinced Jeffrey Epstein's victims she would fight very powerful people to win them justice. And Bondi did so in Donald Trump's name.

emptywheel (www.emptywheel.net)

"After Donald Trump started to go nuts about Epstein, Ms. Comey was fired on Trump’s own personal authority."

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA #MaureneComey
/5

"Maurene Comey, who was most recently involved in the high-profile prosecution of Sean “Diddy” Combs, was reportedly escorted out of the building last evening by her colleagues in a show of solidarity.

~ David Kurtz

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA #MaureneComey
/6

The Trump Administration’s Absurd Obsession With Secrecy

INSIDE: Maurene Comey ... Pam Bondi ... Gavin Newsom

(morningmemo.talkingpointsmemo.com)

"Donald Trump has turned on his Maga base, blasting his supporters as gullible 'weaklings' for believing the government is holding out on crucial information about the disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein."

~ Clea Skopeliti

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/7

First Thing: Trump calls Epstein rumors a ‘radical left’ hoax and condemns Maga ‘weaklings’

President battles rare backlash from supporters, many of whom say he is hiding vital information. Plus, a climate expert calls for AI and crypto tax

the Guardian (www.theguardian.com)

“'It’s a hoax, I know it’s a hoax,' he said to reporters from the Oval Office on Wednesday. ...

As Trump’s more faithful turn away from him, he is making his stance clear.

'They’re stupid people,' he told reporters. 'All it is is the Republicans, certain Republicans, got duped by the Democrats and they’re following a Democrat playbook.'”

~ Alix Breeden

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/8

'It's a hoax': Trump continues to flail over Epstein files sh-tshow

The country, and that includes some MAGA faithfuls, aren’t letting go of the White House’s attempt to brush off the unreleased Jeffrey Epstein files and President Donald Trump is seemingly ...

Daily Kos (www.dailykos.com)

"Ketchup on the wall, yo."

~ Lincoln Project

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/9

"Trump’s grip on power is psychological. He is a cult leader, not a politician. And like all cult leaders he relies on trauma and a tightly controlled information sphere to keep his followers in control. The trauma that was used to create the irrational devotion to him was largely about the sexual predation of children, including Jeffrey Epstein’s."

~ Jim Stewartson

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/10

An Even Bigger Lie: MAGA’s Unraveling Is a Dangerous Opportunity

Donald Trump is in a state of narcissistic collapse. His followers are vulnerable to the truth, and to darker lies.

(www.mind-war.com)

"So, the recent decision by DOJ and FBI to close the door on the Epstein case is a ten-year old lie unraveling. It goes as deep into the psyche of MAGA as it gets."

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/11

"Whatever he’s trying to keep under wraps must be bad enough to warrant his insistence that he would rather lose the support of his own voters than humor their demands for the information (that he himself promised them) to be released."

~ Brian Tyler Cohen

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/12

The Epstein issue isn't going away

Teflon Don seems to have finally met his match

(plus.briantylercohen.com)

"he sounds guiltier and guiltier"

~ Aaron Rupar

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/13

Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)

he sounds guiltier and guiltier

Bluesky Social (bsky.app)

"While Trump and his staff may publicly insist there’s nothing to see here and that there is no problem with his core base of supporters, Trump’s advisers and Republican strategists believe otherwise."

~ Jake Lahut

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/14

Bring On the MAGA Revolt

Donald Trump’s own strategists and advisers aren’t sure the president’s base will survive Jeffrey Epstein’s ghost.

WIRED (www.wired.com)

"While Trump could theoretically wiggle his way out of this one, the lack of a clear strategy for clearing the air on Epstein, combined with the ever-increasing agita among his core supporters, has left the president’s advisers stupefied."

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/15

“'Why they suddenly don’t want to reveal anything, I have no idea,' a second Trump adviser tells me. 'I don’t know why the administration is doing what it’s doing.' ...

Call it Trump 2.0 B.E. and A.E.—before Epstein and the subsequent revolt, and after."

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/16

"There are several reasons why Trump’s Epstein problems aren’t likely to fade:

1. It’s Suspicious as Hell

Many of Trump’s far-right media allies are conspiracy theorists. They believe and promote all sorts of far-fetched stories about the government, 5G, vaccines, and 9/11."

~ Dan Pfeiffer

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/17

Why Trump's Epstein Problems aren't Going Away

Trump wants people to stop talking about Epstein cover up, it probably won't happen

(www.messageboxnews.com)

"Their obsession with Epstein is rooted in an unproven belief that global elites are running a sex trafficking ring involving some of the most prominent figures in government, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley. But their suspicions about Trump’s conduct here are not unfounded."

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/18

"For years, Trump has talked darkly of a 'deep state' — a secret cabal intent on destroying America by harming the nation’s children.

Such as, perhaps, six justices who let him shut down the Education Department without even setting out their reasons?"

~ Robert Reich

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA #DeepState #SupremeCourt
/19

The Supreme Court, the Deep State, and Jeffrey Epstein

Friends,

(robertreich.substack.com)

"The Epstein case illustrates Trump’s 'deep state' no less than does an unsigned 'shadow docket' Supreme Court decision allowing Trump to wipe out the Department of Education."

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA #DeepState #SupremeCourt
/20

"The Democratic National Committee has launched a new X account dedicated solely to reminding its followers that Trump has not released the Epstein files."

~ Lauren Egan

#Trump #Epstein #pedophiles #CoverUp #ConspiracyTheories #MAGA
/21

Do They Have Your Attention Now?

Democrats are finally beginning to appreciate the significance of the attention economy.

(www.thebulwark.com)