In light of the tragedies in Minnesota, it seems almost disrespectful to demand that the news cycle set its sights anywhere else. Of course, the numerous murders and other injustices at the hands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement are worth all of the outrage they generate. However, focusing on one issue at a time allows other controversial actions of Trump to get swept under the rug, leading to a lack of consequences.
Citizens should be particularly paying attention to the Jeffrey Epstein files, which seem to be a sore spot for the president. The rumors of his involvement with the disgraced financier have caused some of the heaviest damage to Trump’s reputation, leaving Americans with worrying questions they can’t afford to let go unanswered.
The Trump Administration has been successful in using an onslaught of controversy to keep opposing forces occupied with issues of the moment to prevent any long-term success. The news has bopped back and forth between Venezuela, Greenland, Iran, ICE and Epstein, all within one month, keeping activists and the general public alike scattered and shocked.
In the five years since Epstein’s reported suicide, rumors have circulated about various celebrities and their involvement with the financier and his sex trafficking ring, but one of the most common names associated with the files was Trump, our “fearless” leader.
The two have, frankly, an absurd number of pictures together. Despite this, the current president promised to release the Epstein files during his 2024 presidential campaign, according to NPR. Then, once in office, Trump showcased a dramatic shift in stance, calling the files a “Democratic hoax,” on Sept. 3, according to PBS. This came after Trump attempted to minimize and redirect the conversation surrounding the files throughout the summer, saying he wasn’t a “fan” of Epstein.
Eventually, after considerable pressure in November, the Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed and signed by Trump, which mandated that all files related to Epstein be released by Dec. 19, 2025, according to USA Today. This promise was not kept.
To me, this smells like guilt, and as the administration has hit the gas on their fascist agenda, with their threats towards Greenland and the kidnapping and murder of American citizens, the Trump Administration been successful in steering the public off the path of Epstein.
Although some information has been released, less than 1% of the Epstein files in total are accessible to the public, according to Time. In addition, major portions of the files released were redacted, leading to criticism of the Department of Justice for its lack of transparency.
If the Epstein files contain the names of exclusively Democrats, as Trump claimed on TruthSocial, then it would seem logical for Trump and his administration to push the files out as soon as possible, to discredit the Democratic Party going into the 2026 midterms. Instead, the administration has failed to meet a deadline that Trump signed into law, seemingly due to his connection and presence with the files.
As can be seen by the comments made by the president, he clearly is bothered by the news surrounding his connection to Epstein, and the DOJ continues to drag its feet on deadlines they agreed to, leading to justified suspicion from the American public. The Trump Administration has the documents. Why not settle this once and for all?
While folks on the ground in Minnesota and other states, documenting the actions of ICE, and European powers fighting back internationally, have made some headway, it can seem difficult to make an impact aside from posting and protesting. However, being “annoying” on the internet and continuing to keep Epstein in the news cycle bothers Trump.
In general, the Trump Administration in 2026 has been heavily affected by the words of social media and the press. For example, Vice President JD Vance reacted with the maturity of a toddler when questioned by the press about the murder of Renee Good.
ICE agents are also being triggered by public scrutiny and documentation of their wrongful actions. Unfortunately, this has led to more violence, but the lack of discipline from the Trump Administration shows cracks in the armor.
All of this applies to Trump and Epstein, so while everyone can’t be on top of every issue at all times, if we as a public are to fulfill our democratic function of keeping the government accountable, we can’t let any of these major issues get swept under the rug. Unfortunately, the power of the people is shrinking day by day.
The government continues to find any legal loophole to persecute enemies while avoiding the repercussions of skirting around constitutional law.
Nicholas is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Nicholas about his column? Email him at nk696121@ohio.edu.
