The butterfly effect on the deceased financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein can be felt years later. The highest levels of Donald Trump’s second government are in a bitter power struggle about Epstein and his alleged “customer list”.
“This dispute takes far too much of my damn time,” says a senior government official, referring to injured egos, clashes among high -ranking government representatives, frustration in parts of Trump’s supporters and mutual accusations for media leak within the government.
The US Ministry of Justice published a memo on Sunday that Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide that there was no potentially explosive “customer list” and that the government officially completed the case against the convicted sex offender-whose death in prison became a magnet for conspiracy theories in prison. Especially with Trump’s supporters, the memo ensures outrage – despite Trump’s own connections to Epstein.
Internal turmoil to Doj-Memo
Rolling Stone reported that the Trump government was preparing for a Maga revolt because of the “There is nothing to see” Memos. As expected, this occurred: numerous prominent right -wing influencers were outraged. Many are calling for the dismissal of General Prosecutor Pam Bondi – some even seem to avert the president. “Trump is now the Deep State. What is more Deep State than the protection of pedophiles?” Asked someone ex-Trump consultant Steve Bannon at a Maga event on Friday.
Not only observers from the outside or online trailer of the Maga movement are upset. Rolling Stone can confirm that FBI director Kash Patel and FBI vice director Dan Bongino have also been angry since the memo was published-especially about Bondi’s dealing with the Epstein determination and public communication.
The right conspiracy theorists Laura Loomer, who maintains close connections to Trump and was also except on the memo, posted on X on Friday that Patel and Bongino were “pissed off” on Bondi and that Bongino even released itself that day. Shortly afterwards, Axios confirmed that Bongino did not appear to work on Friday after a dispute with Bondi. CNN added that Bongino had already talked to familiar with a possible resignation because of the memos.
Bondi, Patel and Bongino: a brittle triangle
The press office of the FBI and the Ministry of Justice did not respond on Friday afternoon to inquiries from Rolling Stone.
Two Trump government officials and another source with knowledge of the matter report Rolling Stone that Patel and Bongino Intern Bondi are blaming. Bongino is particularly difficult and had the feeling that the Attorney General had deceived the Trump supporter when she claimed on TV in February that the “customer list” was available for examination on her desk.
When Memo released the DOJ and FBI triggered a storm of indignation at Trump fans, Bongino complained that he and Patel were held responsible by Maga rights-although according to sources Bondis and other responsibility. Your reputation in these groups was massively damaged.
Two sources added that the tensions between Patel and Bondi were not new. “The two don’t like each other,” said a Trump government official. “It surprises me that it has not already been reported.”
Trump’s election promise and the lack of revelations
Before the election, Trump had promised to publish the so-called Epstein files-which aroused great hopes in Maga circles that powerful personalities were exposed as an accomplice of Epstein. After Bondi claimed in February that the customer list was on her desk, she organized a media -effective action: she symbolically handed over the right influencer with “Phase 1” of the Epstein Files.
Many of these influencers now feel betrayed by the Doj memo. It states that after “exhaustive” investigations, no stressful “customer list” was found. Likewise, little “credible notes […] On the fact that Epstein had blackmailed prominent personalities ”. In addition, the Doj published a video of Epstein’s cell on the night of his death. However, this lacks a minute shortly before midnight. What heated up again about a cover -up.
Internal consensus despite the public dispute
While mutual blame states, a source from the Trump environment reports that Bondi, Patel and Bongino jointly support the publication of the now notorious memos on Sunday. All three would have hoped to end the Inner Maga attacks because of the investigation and the lack of “revealing” information.
Todd Blanche, deputy attorney in General and formerly Trump’s criminal defense lawyer, wrote on X on Friday that the Doj was behind the memo. “I have tight with me [Patel] and [Bongino] Worked on the joint FBI and Doj-Memo to the Epstein Files. We all have together with the contents of the memos and the conclusions drawn there. Anyone who claims something else is clearly wrong. “
However, other details, such as the publicly reported disputes among Trump’s most important consultants, do not deny blanche.
A high -ranking government official told Axios: “The truth is [Bongino] It was in favor of publishing the video with the missing minute. And had no problem with it. Until he came under pressure online. Bongino found the video with the gap itself, approved it after ‘thorough exam’ and thought, so everything would be done. When that didn’t work, he turned through. And disappeared from DC “
Trump reacts angrily – and Elon Musk also interferes
Trump, once a friend of Epstein, reacted angrily at a cabinet meeting this week to the question of a reporter to Bondi for the missing minute in the video. He asked why Epstein was still an issue. And referred to it as a “desecration”. Bondi said the lack of the minute was due to an old system that skipped a minute every night when reset. Which hardly dampened the outrage over memo and video.
Musk raises severe allegations
Elon Musk, a former Trump supporter and mega dispenser and former head of the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency”, continue to pour oil into the fire because its relationship with Trump is increasingly deteriorating. Already last month Musk wrote, the “real reason”, why the Epstein Files would not be published, it is that Trump “occurs in it himself”. After publishing the memos on Sunday, Musk asked: “How should you have confidence in Trump if he doesn’t publish the Epstein files?”
Musk – who was once photographed with Epstein’s partner Ghislaine Maxwell – now apparently is now pursuing plans to found a third political party. Observers can only speculate what the government knows about Epstein. Or don’t know. It is also unclear why the case was officially closed after the government indicated for months that the truth about Epstein and its customers would soon be disclosed. However, it is clear that the memo has deeply annoyed the MAGA supporter-both in the media and within the government.