Summoning Epstein’s ghost at the White House

The Jeffrey Epstein affair has once again returned to the spotlight—this time not merely as a moral scandal, but as a political lever shaking the White House. The main concern at present is focused on Donald Trump and the “MAGA” movement within the Republican Party.

“Epstein-gate” has turned into a nightmare for Trump, as polls indicate that the issue has created a deep rift among his supporters and put their loyalty to the test. Part of the decline in the Republican vote share in sensitive and decisive states such as Arizona and Georgia (traditionally Republican strongholds) is attributed to the scandals surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case that have come to haunt the current president of the United States.

The equation is clear: Trump knows well that this scandal could evolve into a serious crisis for his electoral campaign. He is concerned that the continuation of this situation will not only destabilize his core support base, but also deprive him of the opportunity to attract undecided voters. Meanwhile, Democrats have not remained idle and have no intention of allowing Trump to escape this predicament easily. They are fully aware that “Epstein-gate” represents a golden opportunity to weaken Trump and the Republicans.

Although some prominent Democratic figures, including Bill Clinton, also had past connections with Epstein, this does not diminish the Democrats’ focus on Trump or their efforts to link him to the scandal. Their strategy is to portray Trump as a symbol of corruption and moral decay, thereby undermining public trust in him.

Democrats aim to see the first tangible results of their extensive maneuvering around Trump’s overt and covert ties to Epstein in the 2026 midterm congressional elections—where regaining control of Congress (both the House of Representatives and the Senate) carries an entirely reputational and prestige-based significance for Trump.

In essence, the phrase “summoning Epstein’s ghost at the White House” serves as a metaphor for the return of dark shadows from the past. This saga not only exposes hidden dimensions of corruption among political and economic elites, but also illustrates how such scandals can be weaponized for political score-settling and used to strike rivals.

Trump now faces a serious challenge: he must find a way to confront this crisis and prevent “Epstein-gate” from turning into a political quagmire that engulfs him and his movement. Otherwise, Epstein’s shadow will continue to loom over the White House—and over Trump’s political future—for a long time to come.