this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2025
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This is one of those classic weeks in a Trump presidency where too many stories are moving too fast for an individual writer to keep up. There are new tariffs, expansion of deportation operations, a will-he-or-won't-he dance about firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and, of course, the sudden about-face on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's many crimes, personal connections, and sudden death in 2019.

The news is moving so fast that I've had to write this intro four times now to update the following sentence: The latest news, per the Wall Street Journal, is that Trump sent Epstein a birthday card in 2003 with a drawing of a naked woman with the words "we have certain things in common" and wishing him "may every day be another wonderful secret." Yikes!

Earlier this week, Trump said he was done with the Epstein issue and no longer wanted the support of people who voted for him because they thought he would release more information about the sex offender’s crimes and his conspirators. The president said his administration would not be releasing any more information about the investigation into Epstein. Currently on Polymarket, you can buy p(Jeffrey Epstein is actually alive) for 3% and p(Trump will appoint a special prosecutor) at 1%.

In the background of all this, polls show Trump's position plummeting. For this week's Chart of the Week, let's take a quick look at Trump's approval overall, and on tariffs, deportations, and Epstein. The size of the hole he is in on the Epstein case is maybe the worst number I’ve ever seen for a president.

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[–] Gaywallet@beehaw.org 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

In a way, it's extremely surprising. I agree that it seems wild for this to be what takes down the house of cards.

On the other hand, trying to think of it through the lens of someone already living within the conspiracism bubble, I do think this issue is notably different. Bragging about being a rapist is just how they talk, because they explicitly endorse sexism. That's just "boys being boys" and whatnot. Unity is necessary to impose a collective will, so some level of bad behavior is excusable so long as you're towing the party line. But they spent far too long mysticizing and building up the epstein files and importantly it reflected a value that they collectively held - to protect the children. For something which was so central to their conspiracist theorems (just like the deep state, except in this case it was a plausibly real thing) to be discarded so wantonly like this without a clear and plausible explanation which maintains their theories (even Alex Jones couldn't resolve his cognitive dissonance on this entirely... is Trump actually a deep state actor?!)? Well that is a difficult pill to swallow.

Maybe someone will be creative enough to weave a story which both explains and allows them to continue to press on with their core beliefs of a global elite running the world and them fighting back against it but somehow Trump not being part of said cabal and instead acting on their behalf. If that happens, I'm sure it'll spread like wildfire among them because it'll help them suspend their disbelief. One can simply hope they implode upon themselves because right now things are looking exceptionally bleak for the US not nose-diving directly into fascism and being at the center of WW3 and a Nazi 2.0 movement

[–] theangriestbird@beehaw.org 3 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I am always honored to get your extremely thoughtful replies. I think you're right, it's kind of a case of the lies catching up to them. They built up the files as this white whale and then Trump punted on the chance to release them. I guess I'm just surprised to see allies like MTG turn on Trump. I kind of wonder what is happening behind the scenes to fuel that break in rank, because so far they have been pretty eager to lockstep with Trump for political gain. Is something happening in the realpolitik space that we don't yet know about?

[–] Gaywallet@beehaw.org 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think it's probably much more mundane; they simply see an opening so they're going to throw him under the bus so they can be the next king.

[–] theangriestbird@beehaw.org 3 points 1 week ago

truuuuue. we love to see fascists fucking around and finding out why the Sith had a Rule of Two.

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