Epstein Scandal Explodes into the White House
Trump officials threaten to resign as new revelations reignite public distrust in the Epstein case
With the Epstein scandal erupting in the Trump White House, and figures like Dan Bongino and Kash Patel threatening to resign over the administration’s handling of the affair, many Americans have once again turned their attention to the dealings of the disgraced financier.
Polls have begun to emerge, with some even suggesting that allegations of sex crimes could reach as high as the President himself.
Want To Support My Work And Get Access To Polling Deep-Dives, Full Length Articles, And More?
Sign Up For A Monthly Membership For As Little As $5/Month And Support My Work!
Right from the start, Americans show little confidence that Epstein’s connections will be thoroughly investigated by the federal government. When asked, only 15% of Americans said they were either very or somewhat confident that those involved would be properly investigated, while another 18% were unsure.
A striking 67% of respondents said they have little to no confidence in a thorough investigation of Epstein’s associates, with broad agreement across party lines.
Then the Trump administration released footage from inside the prison where Epstein was held before his death. Many online were already skeptical of the usefulness, or authenticity, of the prison video. Wired later reported that the footage was likely modified after analyzing its metadata, though they found no evidence it had been deceptively manipulated.
When asked whether they believe Epstein killed himself or was murdered, a plurality of Americans chose the latter.
According to the polling, 39% believe Epstein was killed, including 43% of Republicans and 38% of Democrats. Meanwhile, 20% believe he died by suicide, with 23% of Democrats and 21% of Republicans holding that view.
However, 40% of Americans say they’re unsure what actually happened to Epstein, with uncertainty ranging from 45% among Independents to 35% among Republicans.
The starkest partisan divide appears over whether Americans believe Trump was connected to Epstein’s alleged crimes. When YouGov asked whether Trump was involved, 40% of Americans said he was complicit.
Nearly seven in ten Democrats believe Trump is guilty of involvement, while 41% of Independents share that view. As expected, Republicans are far less likely to believe Trump was involved, as just 7% say he was.
Meanwhile, only 6% of Democrats and 19% of Independents say Trump was not involved, leaving many Americans still undecided, or unwilling to form an opinion, on the matter.
Trump and his administration appear determined to move past the Epstein controversy, with the President growing increasingly erratic when pressed by reporters. Whether Democrats will pursue this issue as aggressively as Republicans did with Clinton’s emails or Benghazi remains to be seen.