Donald Trump proudly announces defending Jeffrey Epstein improved his popularity – We Got This Covered

Donald Trump has proudly declared that his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy has actually improved his standing among Republican voters

For years, Trump and his allies have leaned into these theories, often suggesting—without evidence—that Epstein’s connections to powerful figures might implicate his political opponents. But when the Justice Department (under Trump’s administration, no less) announced that it would withhold further Epstein-related files, many of Trump’s own supporters were outraged. They had expected these documents to reveal explosive secrets, perhaps even vindicating the very conspiracies they had been encouraged to believe.

Instead of addressing the dissatisfaction among his base, Trump quickly pivoted. In a post on Truth Social, his preferred platform, he urged his supporters to stop wasting their “time and energy” on the Epstein files altogether. He then went a step further, dismissing the controversy as a hoax orchestrated by his usual list of political enemies—former FBI Director James Comey, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. It’s a familiar tactic, one that Trump has deployed repeatedly: recast criticism as an attack from a shadowy cabal of enemies, and in doing so, rally his base.

But perhaps the boldest twist in this saga came when Trump claimed that the Epstein controversy had actually helped him. According to Trump, his approval ratings among Republicans have surged to record highs—90%, 92%, even 95%, depending on which post you read. While these numbers are, as always, an exaggeration, there is evidence that Trump’s popularity within the GOP remains strong. Polls show that his approval among Republicans has indeed ticked upward, defying expectations that the Epstein controversy might hurt him.

While his approval within the GOP remains robust his numbers with the general electorate are dismal. According to aggregated polling data, Trump’s overall approval rating stands at just 44%, with a disapproval rating of 53%. These numbers are among the worst of his second term and highlight the deep polarization that defines his political career.

While Trump has repeatedly claimed he had a falling-out with Epstein years ago, the fact remains that the two were once close enough to attend parties together, with Trump famously describing Epstein in 2002 as a “terrific guy” who “likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” These comments, combined with Epstein’s well-documented history of cultivating relationships with powerful men, make it impossible to ignore the lingering questions about who else might have been involved in his sordid world.