Tue Jul 15 21:23:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text.
**Summary:**
President Trump is facing a political crisis due to his administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. While he tries to downplay the issue and discourage supporters from pursuing it, his base, fueled by years of Trump’s own promotion of conspiracy theories and distrust of the “deep state,” is demanding full transparency and release of all related files. This internal conflict is causing infighting within the administration and threatens to undermine Trump’s support base, as well as distract from more pressing government duties. Critics on both the left and right are using the controversy to attack Trump, and experts warn that simply disproving conspiracy theories won’t satisfy those deeply invested in them. The article highlights the challenge for Trump, who must now deliver on the transparency his followers expect, given his past rhetoric.
**News Article:**
**Trump Faces Uprising From His Own Base Over Epstein Files**
**New York – July 16, 2025** – President Donald Trump is grappling with a growing revolt from his staunchest supporters over the Justice Department’s handling of records related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case. Despite Trump’s efforts to downplay the issue and discourage further investigation, his base is demanding transparency and the release of all files, a demand fueled by years of Trump’s own rhetoric promoting conspiracy theories and distrust of the “deep state.”
The Justice Department and FBI recently walked back suggestions of an Epstein client list, prompting swift backlash from Trump’s online followers, who accused him of being “out of touch.” Trump’s attempt to quell the unrest on Truth Social has failed, with supporters urging him to release the files or risk losing their loyalty.
“The faulty assumption Trump and others make is they can peddle conspiracy theories without any blowback,” said Matt Dallek, a political scientist at George Washington University. “The Epstein case is a neat encapsulation that it is hard to put the genie back in the bottle.”
Infighting within the Trump administration is reportedly escalating. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino are said to be clashing over the issue, leading to rumors of Bongino’s potential resignation. Trump’s former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, has publicly urged the President to reconsider his approach, warning that failing to address unanswered Epstein questions will make other national challenges “much harder.”
The controversy has also drawn criticism from Democrats, who have called for the release of all Epstein files and suggested Trump may be implicated. Some conservatives worry Trump’s handling of the situation will hurt them in the midterm elections.
Experts warn that disproving conspiracy theories won’t necessarily quell the unrest. “For some portion of this set of conspiracy theory believers, no amount of contradictory evidence will ever be enough,” said Josephine Lukito, a conspiracy theory expert at the University of Texas at Austin.
Political analysts say that the Epstein case poses a unique challenge for Trump, as it is rooted in a real crime involving a wealthy and well-connected individual. Failure to provide genuine transparency, they argue, could result in a significant loss of faith among his most dedicated followers.
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