“Something’s Fishy” – Donald Trump’s U-Turn on Epstein Files Has Jimmy Kimmel Questioning the Real Plan
For a long time, Trump tried to stop the Epstein documents from being released. He reportedly encouraged Republicans in the House to block a petition that would have forced the files out into the open. Then, out of nowhere, he reversed himself and started saying that Congress should release the files. On paper, that sounds like a big move toward transparency, but Jimmy Kimmel doesn’t believe it’s that simple.
On his show, Kimmel told his audience that “something’s fishy” about the whole thing. He pointed out that Trump didn’t just quietly shift his position—he went from fighting hard against the release to suddenly embracing it, without any real explanation. Meanwhile, Congress voted almost unanimously to release the files: the House passed the bill 427–1, and the Senate also approved it with no real opposition. Kimmel joked that lawmakers wanted the vote to be so overwhelming that Trump wouldn’t be able to block it with what he called a “Cheeto veto,” mocking Trump’s appearance and tendency to interfere.
But Kimmel warned viewers not to assume the story ends there. He suggested that even if Congress demands the files, Trump’s allies inside the government still have many ways to slow things down or keep certain details out of public sight. He specifically mentioned the Department of Justice, saying that Trump’s “cronies” there can still withhold documents, pictures, or videos if they claim it’s to protect ongoing investigations, innocent people, or national security. He made it clear he was being sarcastic when he said they would “never” misuse those powers, highlighting that he doesn’t trust them to be fully honest.
The timing of another move by the Justice Department has also raised eyebrows. Just days before Trump switched his stance and called for the release of the Epstein files, the DOJ launched a new investigation into Epstein, even though Epstein is already dead. Critics argue that this new investigation may be used as a way to delay or restrict what can be released. They suspect it might be a smokescreen: as long as an investigation is technically “ongoing,” officials can more easily justify holding back information.
Kimmel also brought up Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and grooming underage girls. According to reports he cited, Maxwell told the Justice Department that she had never seen Trump doing anything inappropriate with Epstein. After she made that claim, she was moved to a minimum-security prison in August, where she reportedly enjoys perks such as having access to a service dog. Kimmel used this to suggest that people who say helpful things about Trump might end up with more comfortable treatment than others. He even joked that Trump “rolled over faster than that dog Ghislaine Maxwell gets to play with in her country club prison,” mocking both Trump’s sudden change of heart and the conditions of Maxwell’s imprisonment.
From Kimmel’s point of view, Trump’s U-turn doesn’t look like the act of a man committed to full transparency. Instead, it looks like a strategic move—one that allows him to say he’s in favor of releasing the files, while counting on the legal system and his allies to hold back the most damaging parts. Kimmel’s repeated use of sarcasm made it clear he doesn’t believe Trump will ever willingly expose everything in those documents.
