Donald Trump seems desperate to divert attention away from the Jeffrey Epstein case, which he has now called a hoax. But one Trump critic, former Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger, among others, won’t back down so easily.
Trump’s effort to minimize Epstein went so far as a July 16 Truth Social post where the president announced he was in talks with Coca-Cola to — of all things — use real cane sugar again in the drink.
Even California Governor Gavin Newsom jumped on what Trump said, sharing an X post captioned, “Oh thank god! I’ve totally forgotten about the Epstein files now!”
Kinzinger’s Epstein “bombs”
The next day, on July 17, Kinzinger took it a step further, sharing an X post with Epstein repeated not once or twice but 496 times. If the president thought he could simply wish the Epstein controversy away, or distract with suddenly urgent opinions about soda, he needs to think again.
One comment noted, sarcastically, “What is that? I was told to forget it and worry about real cane sugar in coke that was denied by the coca cola company… I think…” Others joined in the chorus of “Epsteins,” adding some of their own.
The bipartisan Epstein bill
On a more serious note, Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, himself a thorn in the president’s side, and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna have introduced a bipartisan bill to release the Epstein files, whether the president wants to or not.
For the bill to be successful, House Leader Mike Johnson would have to call for a vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson has publicly called on the Justice Department to release all Epstein documents, marking a rare public disagreement with Trump on this issue. For this reason, and despite Johnson’s typical Trump support, Khanna told NewsNation a vote is possible.
Khanna shared on X, “@RepThomasMassie & I are introducing the Epstein Files Transparency Act –– a bipartisan bill to require the Attorney General to release the files within 30 days. Rep. Massie is working on the rule to ensure there is a vote. The public deserves to know where every member stands.
In July 2025, Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi released a DOJ memo—endorsed by the FBI—stating there is no credible evidence of a secret “Epstein client list” or undisclosed files implicating powerful individuals.
The memo reaffirmed Epstein’s 2019 death as a suicide and dismissed the need for further disclosures. This contradicted Bondi’s earlier public promises to release “Epstein files” and flight logs, which had fueled anticipation among Trump supporters and conservative media figures.
The reversal sparked confusion and backlash, especially since Bondi previously claimed to possess sensitive materials. The fallout fractured the MAGA. Trump distanced himself from the controversy, calling it a “hoax,” which further alienated parts of his base.
Published: Jul 17, 2025 01:36 pm