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By Kate Plummer
Senior US News Reporter
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President Donald Trump has been hit with a negative poll about his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case.
According to a Quinnipiac University poll, the majority of U.S. voters disapprove of Trump's handling of files related to Epstein, a wealthy financier who died by suicide in jail in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges.
Why It Matters
Trump has been embroiled in controversy after backtracking on the Epstein case. Initially, the White House had ordered a review of the case and said it would publish names and evidence about Epstein's associates. However, a recent memo from the Department of Justice and the FBI said there was no "client list" and that no further charges would be brought.
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Amid the backlash, Trump has called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release "whatever she thinks is credible" regarding Epstein. While the president has repeatedly called on his supporters to move past what he describes as the "Jeffrey Epstein Hoax," the controversy has continued, and negative polling could affect the Republican Party in the 2026 midterms.
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What To Know
According to the poll of 1,290 registered voters, 63 percent disapproved of the administration's handling of the files, while 17 percent approved.
The disapproval is more pronounced among Democrats, with 83 percent disapproving. Meanwhile, 36 percent of Republicans disapproved of the administration's handling of the case.
The poll, conducted between July 10 and 14, had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
Other polls similarly showed public discontent with the Trump administration's handling of the case. A The Economist/YouGov poll of 1,680 adults found that 79 percent of Americans wanted all documents pertaining to Epstein to be released. Meanwhile, 67 percent believed the government was covering up evidence related to Epstein, including 59 percent of Trump voters.
Another poll of 1,164 likely voters, conducted by Rasmussen Reports, found that 56 percent of likely voters did not believe the FBI and DOJ were telling the truth about Epstein, while 21 percent believed the government.
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What People Are Saying
Mark Shanahan, who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey, previously told Newsweek: "The Epstein backlash has the power to hurt Trump badly and will be far and away the largest factor in his latest polling slip. Releasing the Epstein Files is the Holy Grail for the MAGA base. Trump told them he was going to do so in the run-up to the presidential election, and they believed him.
"They took it on faith that he was not involved in Epstein's underage sex activities and that there were dark forces at play in Epstein's death. The release of the files was going to expose the actions of their political opponents and place the president atop a moral high horse. But that hasn't happened, and some within MAGA are definitely questioning Trump's role and wondering what he has to hide."
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: "Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bull****,' hook, line, and sinker. They haven't learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the attorney general will release more information related to the case.
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