WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures while speaking during an executive order signing event in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump has signed an executive order against ticket scalping and reforming the live entertainment ticket industry. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Washington D.C. – A simmering rift between former President Donald Trump and segments of his most devoted base has flared into public view, revealing how unresolved conspiracy theories and internal distrust could threaten the stability of his political coalition ahead of a volatile election season.
At the center of the controversy is former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, now a member of Trump’s Cabinet, who has drawn scathing criticism from far-right activists and conservative influencers after a series of public missteps related to the long-running Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Bondi, who previously suggested on Fox News that documents related to Epstein were “sitting on my desk,” was sharply contradicted by a White House announcement this week stating there is no so-called “client list.” That apparent backpedal has enraged figures in the MAGA movement, many of whom have long treated Epstein conspiracies as a core grievance—and a litmus test for establishment accountability.
“Blondi should be fired,” wrote far-right activist Laura Loomer in a message to conservative news outlet Politico, accusing Bondi of protecting herself and minimizing her own potential culpability dating back to her time as Florida’s attorney general.
Other former allies have turned into critics. Conservative influencers like Liz Wheeler, Rogan O’Handley, and Jack Posobiec—once invited to the White House and briefed with binders supposedly containing Epstein revelations—have since said the materials lacked substance. “Pam Bondi is not worth it,” Wheeler told Glenn Beck in a Monday interview. “She’s a liability. It’s time to move on.”
The backlash has spilled beyond Bondi. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino—both of whom had amplified Epstein theories before joining the administration—are also facing skepticism from the same online communities they once energized.
Trump, visibly irritated by questions at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, dismissed the renewed focus on Epstein. “Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?” he asked. “This guy has been talked about for years… That is unbelievable.”
Still, members of Trump’s inner circle acknowledge the damage has been done. “It’s a massive mess that has caused a lot of frustration,” a senior administration official said. “The problem was those binders. Every decision they’ve made since that day has compounded the problem.”
Even Elon Musk, a former Trump staffer turned public critic, weighed in on the dispute. “How can people be expected to have faith in Trump if he won’t release the Epstein files?” he posted on X.
For an administration that has relied heavily on cultivating trust through outsider outrage and conspiracy validation, the internal split reveals the risks of courting disinformation: eventually, expectations overtake political convenience. Whether Trump can mend the rupture—or simply outlast the anger—may shape how much control he retains over a movement he helped create but no longer fully commands.
