'My highest, ever': Donald Trump proudly announces defending Jeffrey Epstein improved his popularity

Donald Trump has proudly declared that his dealing with of the Jeffrey Epstein controversy has really improved his standing amongst Republican voters

For years, Trump and his allies have leaned into these theories, usually suggesting—with out proof—that Epstein’s connections to highly effective figures may implicate his political opponents. However when the Justice Division (underneath Trump’s administration, no much less) introduced that it will withhold additional Epstein-related recordsdata, lots of Trump’s personal supporters have been outraged. They’d anticipated these paperwork to disclose explosive secrets and techniques, even perhaps vindicating the very conspiracies that they had been inspired to consider.

As a substitute of addressing the dissatisfaction amongst his base, Trump rapidly pivoted. In a submit on Reality Social, his most popular platform, he urged his supporters to cease losing their “time and vitality” on the Epstein recordsdata altogether. He then went a step additional, dismissing the controversy as a hoax orchestrated by his ordinary checklist of political enemies—former FBI Director James Comey, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. It’s a well-known tactic, one which Trump has deployed repeatedly: recast criticism as an assault from a shadowy cabal of enemies, and in doing so, rally his base.

However maybe the boldest twist on this saga got here when Trump claimed that the Epstein controversy had really helped him. Based on Trump, his approval rankings amongst Republicans have surged to file highs—90%, 92%, even 95%, relying on which submit you learn. Whereas these numbers are, as at all times, an exaggeration, there may be proof that Trump’s popularity throughout the GOP stays robust. Polls present that his approval amongst Republicans has certainly ticked upward, defying expectations that the Epstein controversy may harm him.

Whereas his approval throughout the GOP stays strong his numbers with the final citizens are dismal. Based on aggregated polling information, Trump’s total approval ranking stands at simply 44%, with a disapproval ranking of 53%. These numbers are among the many worst of his second time period and spotlight the deep polarization that defines his political profession.

Whereas Trump has repeatedly claimed he had a falling-out with Epstein years in the past, the very fact stays that the 2 have been as soon as shut sufficient to attend events collectively, with Trump famously describing Epstein in 2002 as a “terrific man” who “likes stunning girls as a lot as I do, and plenty of of them are on the youthful facet.” These feedback, mixed with Epstein’s well-documented historical past of cultivating relationships with highly effective males, make it not possible to disregard the lingering questions on who else might need been concerned in his sordid world.