What Should Trump Do About Epstein Questions? Maga Has A Few Ideas

President Donald Trump is facing increasing pressure, including from immoderate of his closest allies, for much transparency connected nan Jeffrey Epstein case. But location are mixed opinions connected what steps nan management should return next.

Trump has urged his supporters to move connected from nan case, decrying nan communicative arsenic “boring” and lashing retired astatine those who person called for much information. Despite this, galore group — including friends but also Democrats and critics connected nan correct — person demanded much clarity astir nan case. Epstein was recovered dormant successful a New York jailhouse compartment successful 2019 while he was awaiting a proceedings connected activity trafficking charges. Conspiracy theories person swirled since then, including baseless claims that he was killed to protect his powerful clients.

Epstein's death, ruled a suicide, was rocketed backmost into nan headlines this period aft Attorney General Pam Bondi's agency released an unsigned associated memo with nan FBI saying an "exhaustive reappraisal of investigative holdings relating" to nan lawsuit showed nan financier and convicted activity offender had nary "incriminating 'client list'" and location was nary grounds that would lead to charges against anyone else.

The memo infuriated immoderate factions of Trump's MAGA guidelines because some he and Bondi had antecedently said they would merchandise much documents related to Epstein.

The White House did not respond to a petition for comment.

Here's a look astatine immoderate of nan paths guardant that are being projected by Trump's allies:

Publish nan customer database — if it exists

Bondi has faced backlash from immoderate of Trump's supporters complete comments she made astir nan beingness of Epstein's alleged customer database months earlier nan Justice Department memo came out. “It’s sitting connected my table correct now to review,” she told Fox News successful February. But she clarified this period astatine a Cabinet gathering that she was speaking much broadly astir documents related to Epstein and not a circumstantial database of clients.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said past week successful an all-caps station connected X that nan DOJ should “release nan Epstein customer list.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told reporters Wednesday that "the lawyer wide ought to merchandise immoderate she thinks is reliable and due to release," but that nan DOJ uncovering connected nan customer database was “kind of difficult to believe.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., 1 of nan president's closest and astir salient allies, told blimpish commentator Benny Johnson connected Tuesday that Bondi “needs to travel guardant and explain” her comments astir nan customer list.

"Pam Bondi, I don’t cognize erstwhile she primitively made nan statement, I deliberation she was talking astir documents arsenic I understood that they were connected her desk," he said. "I don’t cognize that she was circumstantial astir a database aliases whatever, but she needs to travel guardant and explicate that to everybody. I for illustration Pam, I mean, I deliberation she’s done a bully job. We request nan DOJ focusing connected nan awesome priorities. So, let’s get this point resolved."

Appoint a typical counsel

Other Trump friends are urging him to name a typical counsel to reappraisal nan case.

The "best point that nan president tin do is name a typical counsel to grip nan Epstein files investigation,” right-wing activistic Laura Loomer told Politico, saying she didn't want nan contention to “consume his presidency.”

Former White House advisor Steve Bannon has besides voiced support for a typical counsel, saying connected his show "War Room" that he would "love" to person "a typical counsel study straight to nan agency of nan president."

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said successful an question and reply Tuesday pinch Benny Johnson that "we request a typical counsel," and had a proposal for who that personification would be.

"Maybe Matt Gaetz tin lead nan typical counsel,” she added, referring to nan former Florida congressman who was Trump's first prime for lawyer general.

Bannon said Trump is unfastened to nan idea, contempt his past history pinch typical counsels. Special counsel reports tin return months and, successful immoderate cases, years to compile.

In his question and reply pinch Mike Johnson, Benny Johnson asked nan House speaker if he would support Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s co-defendant, testifying earlier Congress aliases lawmakers subpoenaing nan DOJ to get nan files. The speaker replied that he hadn't spoken to lawmakers "about that circumstantial subject, but I’m for transparency."

Asked Wednesday whether he would support a typical prosecutor, Trump said, "I person thing to do pinch it.

Hold legislature hearings

Hawley said he was besides unfastened to a proceeding connected nan matter earlier nan Senate Judiciary Committee that could see Maxwell, nan only different personification who's been convicted successful nan case.

Maxwell is serving a 20-year situation word that she's appealing.

“Why not put her nether oath?” Hawley said. “I deliberation that could beryllium good,” he added.

Send a legislature message

Several House Republicans person signed connected to an effort by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to unit a ballot connected calling connected nan DOJ to merchandise nan entirety of its records related to Epstein.

"We each merit to cognize what’s successful nan Epstein files, who’s implicated, and really heavy this corruption goes. Americans were promised justness and transparency," Massie wrote Tuesday successful a brace of posts connected X.

The procedural effort would unit a ballot to merchandise “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein.

Massie's discharge petition would return clip to move forward.

"In 7 days we tin commencement collecting signatures. At 218 signatures, nan House must ballot connected our measure requiring a afloat merchandise of nan Epstein files," wrote Massie, who's repeatedly clashed pinch nan president.

A number of Republicans person already signed connected to nan effort, including Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, a Trump ally. Burchett told NBC News connected Wednesday nighttime that he'd done truthful because "I’m large connected transparency."

Fire Bondi

Some Trump supporters online, including Loomer, have called for Bondi to resign aliases beryllium fired.

"Someone needs to beryllium fired for this," Loomer said connected X, adding that letting Bondi "resign is much than she deserves. Trump should conscionable FIRE her."

Trump has vigorously defended Bondi arsenic doing a "great job." Bondi told reporters Tuesday, “I’m going to beryllium present for arsenic agelong arsenic nan president wants maine here, and I judge he’s made that crystal clear.”

Conservative commentator and erstwhile Fox News big Glenn Beck echoed those sentiments successful a video.

“Pam Bondi has created truthful overmuch uncertainty and chaos successful this full thing," he said, urging Trump to "fire Pam Bondi."

Take it to nan courts

The president of Judicial Watch, an statement that's been trying to get Epstein documents, suggested a different measurement forward.

“Just springiness america nan records nether FOIA,” Tom Fitton said connected Bannon's “War Room” podcast, referring to nan Freedom of Information Act.

“Describe what nan records are. If they’re withholding anything, show america why. And there’s a tribunal process for it. If we don’t for illustration it, we tin situation it.”

“But astatine slightest it’s a transparency that we don’t person presently because of nan atrocious memo that was sent out,” he said.

Release each nan documents

Others suggested nan simplest way was for nan DOJ to conscionable merchandise nan files, while protecting accusation astir nan victims.

"The Epstein files request to beryllium released" and "I'm for releasing it now," said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.

Boebert besides backed nan merchandise of nan files Wednesday. "The American group merit and tin grip nan truth. Let’s spot nan files," she wrote successful a post connected X.

Hawley said he was successful favor, arsenic well.

“My position is, make nationalist everything you tin make public,” he said. “Let’s make it each nationalist and get it retired there.”

Lara Trump, nan president's daughter-in-law, besides joined nan calls for much accusation connected Epstein.

"I do deliberation that location needs to beryllium much transparency connected this, and I deliberation that that will happen,” she told Benny Johnson this week. "I judge that location will astir apt beryllium much coming connected this, and I judge thing that they are capable to merchandise that doesn’t, you know, harm immoderate witnesses aliases anyone underage aliases thing for illustration that, I judge they will astir apt effort to get retired sooner alternatively than later.”

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis — a Republican who has fought pinch Trump — was much blunt.

“Just merchandise nan damn files,” Tillis said. “Maybe personification was wrong. Maybe they embellished a small spot astir what was successful nan contents of nan file. Apologize for it. Get this disconnected nan table. It’s sucking up excessively overmuch oxygen. And we each should know.”

Trump, for his part, has placed immoderate of nan onus connected Bondi, saying Tuesday that "it’s going to beryllium up to her, immoderate she thinks is credible, she should release."