Trump Ramblings on Epstein Take Revealing Turn as MAGA Fury Boils Over | The New Republic
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Trump Ramblings on Epstein Take Revealing Turn as MAGA Fury Boils Over

As Trump insists he’s “totally exonerated” in the Epstein scandal amid mounting MAGA rage over it, a historian of the right explains how all this is exposing deep rifts inside MAGA—and what will happen next.

Donald Trump looks to the side, appearing subdued
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After British police arrested the former Prince Andrew in connection with revelations involving Jeffrey Epstein, a reporter asked Donald Trump directly if anyone will face accountability in the United States. Trump rambled and rambled, insisting he had been “totally exonerated.” That’s not true, but regardless, Trump could not explain why accountability is happening in other countries, but not in ours. He also had nothing whatsoever to say about whether his Justice Department will ever seek accountability for any elites implicated in the scandal. Meanwhile, MAGA figures are raging over the latest Epstein-file revelations and demanding exactly the accountability that is not forthcoming from DOJ. We talked to Nicole Hemmer, author of good books about the conservative movement and about the right wing media. She explains why Trump has not been exonerated, how the latest in this scandal is causing MAGA to crack up, what all this reveals about supposed Trump-MAGA hatred of “elites,” and what the prospects are for genuine accountability. Listen to this episode here.