A majority of Americans, including Republicans, believe that President Donald Trump’s administration withheld critical information regarding accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The two-day nationwide survey, which concluded on Wednesday, revealed that 69 per cent of respondents think the federal government hid details about Epstein’s clients. Only 6 per cent disagreed, while roughly one in four said they were unsure.
Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges involving minors when he died by suicide in jail in 2019. Though he had pleaded not guilty, the case was dismissed following his death.
The Trump administration had walked back on its earlier pledge to release documents related to Epstein’s alleged clientele.
According to the poll, nearly two-thirds of Republicans now believe the administration concealed Epstein-related information.
Public confidence in Trump’s handling of the case is particularly low. Just 17 per cent of Americans said they approved of his approach — the lowest rating on any issue measured in the poll. Among Republicans, 35 per cent expressed approval, while 29 per cent disapproved and the rest were undecided.
The Epstein case continues to fuel conspiracy theories within the American political landscape, including among adherents of the QAnon movement, which alleges a shadowy network of child abusers operating within government institutions.
Despite earlier signals that his administration would take decisive steps — such as unsealing documents or appointing a special prosecutor — Trump dismissed those urging transparency.
On social media, he lashed out at supporters pressing the issue, calling them “weaklings” and declaring, “I don’t want their support anymore!”
Trump and senior aides have reportedly engaged with influential figures in the MAGA movement, encouraging them to tone down criticism and shift focus back to core America First themes.
The backlash over Epstein has exposed widening fissures within Trump’s support base, already under strain from US military involvement abroad, recent strikes on Iran, and perceived softening on immigration.
Trump’s past ties with Epstein remain a subject of scrutiny.
While the two were known to be socially acquainted in the 1990s and early 2000s, Trump has denied ever flying on Epstein’s private jet. During the 2021 trial of Ghislaine Maxwell — Epstein’s longtime associate — his former pilot, Lawrence Visoski, testified that Trump had indeed flown aboard the plane multiple times.
Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 1,027 adults online and carries a margin of error of approximately three percentage points.
(With inputs from Reuters)