The Justice Department appeared to provide a portion of the long-awaited files about sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to a group of right-wing influencers on Thursday, but some conservatives saw the move as a letdown after it became clear that no new information was included in the release.
Far-right social media celebrities such as Jack Posobiec, Liz Wheeler, Mike Cernovich, and LibsofTikTok's Chaya Raichik left the White House with thick binders labeled “The Epstein Files,” apparently presented by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Videos and images showed the group triumphantly hoisting the documents.
Americans across the political spectrum, particularly conservatives, have been pining for the Trump administration to release documents about Epstein, who abused scores of underage girls while maintaining connections with American politicians, celebrities, Ivy League academics, and British royals.
If Posobiec’s X replies are anything to go by, a handful of three-ring binders did little to satisfy the online right.
“Just curious ..why spend time and money to make binders for everyone …when you can just post info online,” one commenter asked.
“Where are the files?” another user lamented. “If the public doesn’t have them then no one of importance has them!”
Responses to Rogan O’Handley, the influencer known as DC Draino who also received a binder, were similar.
“Are you or any of the others going to commit to putting THE ENTIRE BINDER in your social media feed,” one reply asked. “Or are [you] going to attempt to tease and play gatekeeper and hold some parts of it back?”
“Waving around a binder for a photo op is accomplishing nothing,” another user wrote. “OPEN the binder.”
Influencers, though, didn't need to rush to post the binders' content. Touted as a massive release, it quickly became apparent they contained mainly public information, like Epstein’s flight logs and address book.
Posobiec went live on his “Human Events Daily” program shortly after appearing at the White House to say there are contacts and flight logs in the file, but he insisted that he hadn’t found time to fully review the contents.
In a video, Savanah Hernandez of Turning Point USA said, "Pam [Bondi] stated to us that some of the information in here is public, and she doesn't feel that any of this information is a smoking gun."
Now, other well-known personalities on the right are fuming.
“Every single social media influencer at the White House today lied to everyone to run cover for pedophiles,” wrote Laura Loomer on X. “There are no files. None of them even posted screenshots of the binders.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), chairwoman and frequent mouthpiece of just-launched Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets, complained that she’d been left out of the loop and thought the information in the binders was underwhelming.
“I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today,” she posted on X. “THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR.”
The supposedly in-the-know influencers claim Bondi and the Justice Department will release further files, though even that is in question. After the binders photo op, a letter from Bondi to FBI Director Kash Patel leaked, claiming Bondi hadn’t received the FBI’s files on Epstein, despite bragging last week she had.
Bondi demanded the FBI hand over the files by tomorrow. Which means the online masses are still waiting with bated breath for more names and more details.
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