Edith Hejberg
While Democrats are more inclined to believe Trump knew something, Republicans aren’t exactly unified behind him either.
Recently released photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate have once again placed Donald Trump in the spotlight. Shared by House Democrats, the images show Trump alongside figures like Bill Clinton, Steve Bannon and Richard Branson.
While none of these men have been accused of any crimes in relation to Epstein, their presence in Epstein’s orbit continues to raise questions, particularly about what they may have known.
Americans overwhelmingly believe Trump knew something
A new Reuters-Ipsos poll has delivered striking results: just 18% of Americans think it’s likely that Trump didn’t know about Epstein’s alleged crimes before they became public.
Meanwhile, 60% believe it’s unlikely Trump was unaware, suggesting a deep public mistrust of the former president’s explanations and denials.
Even Republicans are split on Trump’s awareness
While Democrats are more inclined to believe Trump knew something, Republicans aren’t exactly unified behind him either.
According to the same poll, 39% of Republicans think Trump was probably aware of Epstein’s crimes, compared to 34% who believe he wasn’t. A significant portion remain unsure.
Past polling shows deeper suspicions about Trump’s role
The Reuters poll isn’t an outlier. A Yahoo News–YouGov survey from July went even further, asking Americans whether they believed Trump had participated in crimes with Epstein.
Nearly half, 48%, said yes. Only 24% were certain he hadn’t. The rest were either undecided or hesitant to rule it out.
Public doubt extends into Trump’s own party
Remarkably, even among Republican respondents in the Yahoo-YouGov poll, only 55% firmly rejected the idea that Trump committed crimes with Epstein.
Another 33% were neutral, and 13% said they believed he had. That level of uncertainty is rare among a party base known for its loyalty.
A political headache with bad timing
The latest document release comes just days before a key Justice Department deadline to hand over additional Epstein-related files to Congress.
Even without direct evidence of wrongdoing, the steady stream of images and correspondence involving Trump could harm him politically, especially if the public already believes he’s hiding something.
The White House pushes back
The Biden White House has labeled the photo release a “Democrat hoax.” Officials claim the emails prove “absolutely nothing” and insist that Trump “did nothing wrong.”
They’ve even gone so far as to say the administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have. But for many Americans, the images and timing tell a different story.
Epstein’s own words fuel suspicion
The released emails include Epstein’s private comments about Trump, some of which are particularly damning. In 2019, Epstein wrote: “Of course he knew about the girls,” referencing Ghislaine Maxwell’s recruitment activities.
In another message from 2011, Epstein described Trump as “the dog that hasn’t barked” and mentioned Virginia Giuffre spending “hours at my house” with Trump.
Trump’s past statements haven’t helped
Over the years, Trump has made a series of vague or misleading comments about his relationship with Epstein. Notably, he once said Epstein liked women “on the younger side.”
He also delayed disclosing that Virginia Giuffre, a known Epstein victim, was once recruited from his Mar-a-Lago resort. These inconsistencies have only deepened public suspicion.
Americans already expect the worst
The notion that powerful men like Trump are involved in wrongdoing isn’t new. Past polling during Trump’s presidency showed that many voters believed he had committed serious federal crimes, even before his indictments.
The Epstein allegations merely tap into a broader, long-held narrative of mistrust in elites.
It’s not just about Epstein anymore
Though Epstein is infamous for sex trafficking crimes, the poll questions didn’t specify what kind of crimes Trump might be tied to.
This ambiguity leaves room for interpretation. For many Americans, it’s less about Epstein specifically and more about a pattern of behavior and secrecy that raises red flags.
No criminal charges, but political risk remains
Trump hasn’t been charged with any crimes related to Epstein, and no hard evidence has emerged linking him directly to criminal activity.
Still, the perception that he’s hiding something, or was in the know, continues to damage his public image, especially with more documents and images likely to emerge soon.
A dangerous narrative as 2026 approaches
With just days until another wave of Epstein files is due, the political risk for Trump remains real.
In a climate where Americans are already assuming the worst, every photo and email mentioning him can reinforce existing doubts. The damage may not come from a “smoking gun,” but from a slow build of suspicion, and Trump may already be behind the curve.
