Trump’s own goal in the Epstein case

Some close associates of the U.S. President, such as Steve Bannon, cannot hide their concern over the major blunder made by Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the Jeffrey Epstein case. Many American audiences are eager to uncover the true role of the former U.S. President in the Epstein sexual scandal. The insistence of the U.S. Department of Justice on withholding the shocking details of this case has only intensified this demand. Under such circumstances, the passage of time will work against Trump and the Republicans.

One likely consequence of this situation is that some Republican voters may not shift their support toward Trump. Even if these votes turn into blank ballots or boycotts of the upcoming midterm congressional elections, the Democrats will once again hope to compensate for their heavy and unprecedented defeat in last year’s elections. Perhaps the main reason for the media and senior Democratic officials’ focus on pursuing the Epstein case is precisely this issue. What is certain is that Epstein’s name has resurfaced in public discourse, which is certainly unwelcome for the U.S. President and his supporters.

This heightened sensitivity around the Epstein case has pleased the Democrats and Elon Musk (Trump’s new rival). Meanwhile, in these early months of Trump’s return to the White House, we have witnessed the emergence of a group called the “Angry Republicans,” whose shifting votes may no longer be reflected in their party’s ballot box in two major upcoming political battles—the 2026 midterm congressional elections and the 2028 presidential election. The unprecedented unity and cohesion that led to Trump’s impressive victory in the 2024 presidential election are now at risk of collapse due to this controversial case.

This case has come to the forefront of American attention at a time when public opinion polls are not very favorable to the president. The latest results from the joint Yahoo-Ipsos poll, conducted with the participation of 1,570 American citizens, show that disapproval of Donald Trump’s performance has reached 60 percent. This figure has increased compared to a similar poll held in March this year, which showed a 56 percent disapproval rate.

American political analysts believe that a significant portion of this rising dissatisfaction comes from Republican voters and those who preferred Harris over Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

The main concern of Republican leaders is the possibility of a heavy defeat in the upcoming congressional elections, which would result in increased Democratic influence in the House of Representatives and the Senate. This situation could severely limit the authority and maneuverability of the Republicans and Trump himself from 2026 to 2028. In this context, the “opponents’ maneuver on the Epstein case” will play a very important and decisive role.