This is ‘real reason’ that proves Donald Trump is ‘faking’ Epstein U-turn: strategist

President Donald Trump suddenly changed his position on releasing the federal files connected to Jeffrey Epstein, but Democratic strategist Maria Cardona believes his change of heart is not genuine. She argued on CNN that Trump is only pretending to support the congressional effort because he realized the vote would pass without him, and he did not want to appear isolated from his own party.

Trump has struggled to escape the political fallout from his long and complicated history with Epstein, the wealthy sex offender who died in jail and whose network of associates continues to draw national attention. Even as Trump tried to pressure House Republicans to block a procedural vote that would force the Department of Justice to release the Epstein documents, GOP lawmakers stood firm and ignored his demands.

Cardona said the focus should be first and foremost on survivors of Epstein’s abuse and not on political messaging. She said the issue became political because Republicans themselves made it a central talking point during their 2024 campaigns. She reminded viewers that Pam Bondi, Trump’s attorney general, once claimed the Epstein files were nearly ready for release, a promise that never materialized.

According to Cardona, Trump’s behavior shows why she does not believe his sudden change of tone is sincere. She noted that as president, Trump has the power to order Bondi and the Justice Department to release the files at any time, without waiting for Congress to act. She argued that Trump resisted releasing the documents until he saw that most Republicans were prepared to vote in favor of the measure, regardless of his objections. In her view, the shift is about political self-protection, not transparency.

Cardona said it would be embarrassing for Trump to watch a large number of Republicans support the release of records involving a man he once considered a friend. She insisted that if Trump truly wanted these documents public, he could have ordered their release months earlier and could do so right now, instead of trying to appear supportive only after Congress forced the issue.