by Abigail Isaacson in Politics

The controversy surrounding President Donald Trump's involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation escalated as his administration struggled to fulfill its promise of releasing details about the sex trafficking case. The Wall Street Journal revealed a sexually suggestive letter allegedly written by Trump and included in a birthday album for Epstein. Trump denied authorship, calling the letter "false, malicious, and defamatory." He previously criticized supporters demanding more records from the Epstein probe as "weaklings," despite previously courting their support based on claims of a cover-up protecting wealthy Epstein associates. Trump also shielded Attorney General Pam Bondi from questioning after she retracted claims of an "elite client list" involved in Epstein's crimes and accused Democrats of doctoring files. Despite the administration's attempts to control the narrative, the Epstein saga persists due to internal government conflict, Trump's attacks on his base, and the unexplained decision to keep key documents sealed. Following pressure from lawmakers, Trump reversed course and instructed Bondi to seek court permission to release some grand jury information. However, Bondi's request requires judicial approval, and the administration remains silent on additional evidence collected by federal law enforcement.