The fallout from Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes stretches across oceans and continents, from the vulnerable girls he exploited to the privileged people and institutions who associated with him and chose to cover up or look the other way. No one has paid a higher price than Epstein’s more than 1,000 victims. According to the Department of Justice.
The world will soon have more information. President Donald Trump had been friends for years before Epstein said they had a falling out in the early to mid-2000s. signed the bill Late Wednesday, the Justice Department was forced to release a number of files on Epstein. The president’s reversal was a rare humiliation of the fact that his fight to have the file expunged was doomed. Republican-led CongressThe event was noted by foreign news outlets as a moment when the brash American president, who had dominated geopolitics all year, was exposed on the domestic front.
It is worth noting that a deeply divided nation above many others At the very least, we can all agree that Epstein’s web of sex trafficking must be exposed. But even that has its limits. Because it is protected by law. Part of the case file In the public eye. Trump has maintained throughout that he did nothing wrong and had no knowledge of Epstein’s activities.
but Even if I dieEpstein demonizes not just the president, but academics, government leaders, royalty, journalists, and banks across national borders and political parties. The public’s trust has also been damaged. Take a look at how the cost of truth in ongoing scandals is increasing.
Friendship with Epstein upends the pillars of academia
Economist Lawrence Summers has bounced back after falling from the pinnacle of academia, government and punditry. That seems unlikely for now, given newly released emails showing Summers continued to communicate with Epstein years after pleading guilty to pimping a minor.
According to the letter, Summers apparently sought advice on women from Epstein as late as 2019, and Epstein referred to himself as Summers’ “wingman,” which cost the economist positions at the think tanks Open AI, the Center for American Progress, and Yale University’s Budget Lab. Mr. Summers initially vowed to continue teaching classes at Harvard, but an eyebrow-raising video released Wednesday showed Mr. Summers opening the class by saying he was ashamed about his relationship with Mr. Epstein. after that He also left the jobsaid the university.
Mr. Summers, 70, is a former Treasury secretary and once a top candidate for the Federal Reserve, but he previously had to give up his position at Harvard University. In 2006, she resigned as head of the elite school after a speech in which she suggested women were underrepresented in mathematics and science fields due to “intrinsic aptitude.”
Harvard University announced this week that it was conducting its own review. In 2020, elite schools are reported Epstein visited the campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, more than 40 times after his 2008 plea agreement. He was given his own office and free access to the research center he helped found, he said. It also found that Harvard University received more than $9 million from Epstein in the 10 years leading up to his conviction, but barred him from making further donations afterward.
Former prince loses royal title, duties and castle residence
The relationship with Epstein is well documented; Cost Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor His home is within the castle grounds and his title as prince of the kingdom.
Revelations about the king’s brother trickled in over the years, leaving little doubt that Mountbatten-Windsor, now known as Prince Andrew, was not only involved in Epstein’s sex crimes against minors, but also remained in touch with the disgraced financier even after his conviction.
The evidence against Andrew became increasingly difficult to ignore, even for his late mother Queen Elizabeth II, who considered Mountbatten-Windsor her beloved child and is said to have shielded him from all the consequences of his scandal.
That became impossible after Andrew gave a disastrous interview with the BBC in 2019. Andrew was widely criticized for showing no empathy for Epstein’s victims and for giving unbelievable accounts of their friendship.
In her posthumous memoir, Virginia Giuffre said that Andrew was only 17 when he was trafficked, and that Epstein took the now-famous photo of the then-prince with his arm around her waist.
Andrew denied ever meeting Giuffre, did not remember being photographed, and did not commit any crime. But he reached settlement with her. Giuffre died by suicide in April.
According to reports, one of Epstein’s contacts, identified as the “Duke,” sent him a letter in 2011 about monitoring their friendship, saying, “I can’t take this anymore.” Edited excerpts from emails released by the House of Commons.
The flood of sordid stories threatened to undermine support for the British monarchy, as Prince Charles, 76 and undergoing cancer treatment, seeks ways to strengthen the system for his son. prince williamto inherit.
Charles stripped Andrew of his title and forced him to leave the country. Royal LodgeA 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle where Mountbatten-Windsor has lived for more than 20 years. Mountbatten Windsor is exiled sandringhama secluded private estate in the east of England.
President Trump’s dominant image has taken a hit
This time the president was out of control. a crisis of his own making — then claimed credit for solving it.
In fact, Mr. Trump signed a bill that would only release the files if he lost a flagrant political battle with some politicians. His fiercest MAGA defender. This began the 30-day window until release.
But six years after Epstein’s death, his friendship with Trump continues to undermine the president’s standing. time, attention and support.
President Trump’s Department of Justice began covering these costs in July. Suddenly changed direction and announced No “further disclosures” of the Epstein files are expected. MAGA supporters are hoping that Trump will fulfill his campaign promise to release the files. heading towards rebellion.
playing cards claimed He no longer wanted to support such “stupid people” and “weak people”. didn’t shut them up. he tried lashed out at reporters who asked questions about Epstein. But they continued to do so. Efforts by the White House to rely on key Republicans to support releasing the files were unsuccessful.
Despite the great progress that President Trump has trumpeted as an outcome, the Epstein issue did not subside for long. Democrats made sure that Publish selected Epstein emails On November 12th, Congress and President Trump met on the same day. ended a record 43-day government shutdown.
The president blasted Epstein on social media, saying his emails claimed: Trump ‘knew girls’ It was a “hoax”. At another point, the president was forced to respond to a Wall Street Journal report that he wrote and signed. vulgar birthday note Told Epstein about the secret. Trump denies writing the memo filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit To the press. Earlier this month, the president instructed to the Ministry of Justice investigate the Democratic Party Associated with Epstein.
Then I was faced with the following facts: all but one Congressional Republicans would vote to release the FBI files, but President Trump abruptly backed out.
“I don’t care!” President Trump wrote in a social media post. “All I care about is the Republicans getting back on their feet.”
