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Former MSNBC host Joy Reid is accusing Piers Morgan of luring her onto his podcast to attack her character and record. Ahead of the interview that aired Thursday evening, Reid called out Morgan for launching a prepared attack against her for obsessing over race and particularly Black women.

Reid slams ‘thirsty little troll’ Morgan for interview bait and switch

In Wednesday’s episode of The Joy Reid Show, the host discussed an interview she had recently with Morgan. Reid characterized him as “a rather thirsty little troll, desperate it seems for attention, and not just from Princess Meghan.” Reid explained that she was invited to appear on Morgan’s podcast, Piers Morgan Uncensored.

“Sometimes you do want to talk to people on the right and see if they have interesting things to say,” Reid said of her decision to agree to the interview.

She displayed a screenshot of an email sent by Morgan’s producers, explaining that the two journalists would be engaged in “a free-flowing conversation covering several topics in her wheelhouse, including the Trump administration, Elon Musk establishing a new political party, ICE raids, and news of the day,” as well as Reid’s departure from MSNBC and her new online venture.

Instead, Reid claimed, “Piers used a 45-minute interview to ambush me mainly about his favorite subject: race, specifically why Black people like me talk so much about race, especially when it comes to Donald Trump.”

“A rather thirsty little troll.” Joy Reid rips into Piers Morgan, accuses him of ambushing her with race-baiting interview. pic.twitter.com/40FpNls1Wd— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) July 17, 2025

Reid and Nina Turner call out Morgan for going after Black women

Reid explained that Morgan used her appearance on his podcast to attack her for talking about race, bringing up years-old comments and posts to question Reid about removing books with sexual or LGBTQ content from school libraries.  

“What the right likes to do is fixate on race to accuse Black people of fixating on race,” Reid said about Morgan and other right-leaning figures. She also accused Morgan of attacking and obsessing over Black women, showing a clip explaining how Morgan left his hosting position with the ITV network over his repeated hostile coverage of Meghan Markle.

As Blavity reported, Morgan has a long history of making strange and questionable comments about race. In recent years, Morgan has been criticized for comments he’s made about Markle as well as other figures such as gymnastics champion Simone Biles and reality television figure Omarosa Manigault Newman, who appeared with Morgan on Trump’s The Celebrity Apprentice TV show. Reid was joined on her show by activist and former Ohio Senate member Nina Turner, who appeared on a later segment of the same episode of Morgan’s show and thus witnessed the interview with Reid beforehand.

“It’s wild, and it’s weak,” Turner said of Morgan’s segment with Reid. “I cannot believe this guy is doing this to her,” Turner said, calling the segment, which featured a surprise appearance by an anti-Reid podcaster, “a total set-up.”

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Morgan, meanwhile, has touted the episode, which aired Thursday evening, telling his audience, “Don’t miss Piers Morgan’s explosive interview with fired MSNBC host Joy Reid,” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Reid explained on her show, “I did not walk out on the Piers Morgan interview,” unlike Morgan, who stormed off the set of Good Morning Britain four years ago when confronted about his Meghan Markle comments. Morgan’s audience will receive Reid’s response to his attacks when his show airs, while Reid shares her perspective on the encounter on her show.

Former Rep. William “Bill” Clay Sr., D-Mo., a trailblazing civil rights leader, Missouri’s first Black legislator, and one of the 13 founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, has died. He was 94.

Politico reported that the CBC confirmed Clay’s death, and Chairwoman Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., spoke out about the beloved politician and the critical issues he fought for during his time in Congress.

Yvette Clarke’s statement about Bill Clay Sr.’s death

“A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971, Congressman Clay helped build the CBC into a force for equity and accountability in American Democracy,” Clarke said Thursday in a press statement. “As a member of Congress, he was a fierce defender of labor rights, education and social justice.”

It is with deep respect and profound sadness that we mourn the passing of former Congressman Bill Clay Sr. — a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus.May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/s2rDciJnwn— The Black Caucus (@TheBlackCaucus) July 17, 2025

Clay backed several legislations that benefited Black Americans

Clay made history in 1968 as Missouri’s first Black congressman and later co-founded the Congressional Black Caucus in 1971 alongside former Black lawmakers Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, and Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y., per Politico. During his 32-year tenure, he served on the Education and Labor Committee, advocating for reforms like the Hatch Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act, which former President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1993.

After retiring, Clay was succeeded by his son, William Lacy Clay Jr., who represented Missouri’s 1st District until 2021, according to the Black Press USA.

“William Lacy Clay Sr. was a giant—not just for St. Louis, not just for Missouri, but for the entirety of our country,” Missouri Rep. Wesley Bell said, per the Black Press USA. “I counted Mr. Clay as a grand mentor, as a trailblazer, and as a dear friend. But more than that, I carry his example with me every time I walk onto the House Floor. My heart is with his family, with Lacy, and with every person whose life was better because Bill Clay chose to serve.”

Luigi Mangione‘s attorneys are raising concerns about prosecutors accessing his private health information. The latest information, revealed in a court filing on Thursday, states that prosecutors at the Manhattan district attorney’s office are violating Mangione’s rights as he awaits trial for allegedly shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

“The District Attorney has subpoenaed Mr Mangione’s health insurer, and, if their account is to be believed, they partially reviewed confidential, private, protected documents that the District Attorney readily admits are protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. There is no question that the District Attorney has no right to possess or review these documents,” the filing stated, per ABC News.

Mangione’s attorneys add that prosecutors not only violated HIPPA, but also intentionally violated his doctor-patient privilege.

Luigi Mangione’s private health data was accessed by prosecutors

Per CNN, prosecutors accessed over 120 pages of Mangione’s health information. The documents included “different diagnoses as well as specific medical complaints made by Mr. Mangione,” the filing stated. Neither the court nor the defense was aware of prosecutors accessing the documents, attorneys added.

Prosecutors said they asked for limited information from Mangione’s health insurer, Aetna. They added that Aetna sent additional information by mistake, but prosecutors deleted the materials quickly and relayed the incident to the defense and the court.

What’s next for Luigi Mangione after pleading not guilty?

Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting Thompson in Manhattan last year, has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges. The 27-year-old faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors argue that Mangione murdered Thompson to make a statement against corporate greed.

The Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to sentence former Kentucky police officer Brett Hankison to one day in prison after his conviction for his role in the 2020 botched raid that killed Breonna Taylor in her home.

Blavity reported that a federal jury convicted Hankison, one of four officers to face charges in Taylor’s death, and the first convicted for his involvement in the raid. He was found guilty on one count of violating Taylor’s civil rights by using excessive force, firing 10 shots into Taylor’s home, with some striking a next-door neighbor’s house.

At the time, Hankison told the court he fired to protect himself and other officers after Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot at them when they entered the apartment. As officers returned fire, several bullets struck Taylor, killing her.

Hankison faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a judge will weigh in on the DOJ’s request at a scheduled sentencing next week, according to The New York Times.

DOJ official explains request in new filing

On Wednesday, Harmeet K. Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, asked the judge in the case to sentence Hankison to one day in prison and three years of supervised release.

In the request, Dhillon argued that the prosecution was excessive, pointing out that the Biden administration had convicted Hankison after he was acquitted on state charges and following a mistrial in his first federal case.

“In this case, two federal trials were ultimately necessary to obtain a unanimous verdict of guilt,” Dhillon wrote, noting that after being fired from his job, Hankison had already paid for his actions, per The New York Times.

“The jury’s verdict will almost certainly ensure that defendant Hankison never serves as a law enforcement officer again and will also likely ensure that he never legally possesses a firearm again,” the filing added.

Attorneys for Taylor’s family speak out

In addition to Hankison, former detectives Joshua Jaynes, Kelly Hanna Goodlett, and former Sgt. Kyle Meany was initially arrested and charged in the raid. Last year, the felony charges against Jaynes and Meany were dropped by a federal judge in the case, Blavity and ABC 11 reported.

Meanwhile, Hankison was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in June 2020.

According to the BBC, attorneys for Taylor’s family spoke out following the DOJ’s filing, calling it “an insult to the life of Breonna Taylor.”

“Every American who believes in equal justice under the law should be outraged,” attorneys said in a statement. “Recommending just one day in prison sends the unmistakable message that white officers can violate the civil rights of Black Americans with near-total impunity.”

Longtime late-night host Stephen Colbert, of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, announced the upcoming end of his show days after he ripped CBS for settling a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump.

Colbert announced to his audience that The Late Show would end next year. While CBS has portrayed the cancellation as a cost-cutting measure, many are suspicious about the decision coming just after Colbert criticized the network’s decision to settle a lawsuit Trump filed over a 60 Minutes segment.

Colbert announces ‘last season’ of ‘The Late Show,’ bringing an end to an era

During Thursday’s episode of The Late Show, Colbert said he had just learned that “next year will be our last season. The network will be ending the show in May.”

The announcement drew boos from the audience.

“Yeah, I share your feelings,” Colbert said before explaining that the entire franchise was “going away.”

🚨Big news Stephen Colbert addresses the news of The Late Show’s cancellation in tonight’s cold open. “Next year will be our last season,” Colbert told his audience tonight. “The network will be ending ‘The Late Show’ in May.” pic.twitter.com/DuVpz83teP— narne kumar06 (@narne_kumar06) July 18, 2025

The cancellation ends over three decades of late-night programming for CBS, going back to 1993 and the launch of The Late Show with David Letterman.

In a statement about the cancellation, CBS executives said, “We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire ‘The Late Show’ franchise.” According to the network’s statement, the cancellation “is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.  It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Colbert had been critical of Trump and his network 

The decision to cancel The Late Show was announced only days after Colbert mocked Paramount for its decision to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit the president filed over a 60 Minutes interview with then-presidential candidate and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump had alleged that the CBS news show edited the interview to make Harris look better and boost her chances in the 2024 election. The executive producer of 60 Minutes later quit the show, and one of its lead anchors criticized Paramount over what they characterized as increased scrutiny over news coverage of Trump following the lawsuit. Colbert said during his monologue that this was a “nuisance lawsuit,” and “Paramount knows they could have easily fought it because in their own words, ‘The lawsuit is completely without merit.’” 

Colbert also referred to a news report about his show, which stated that the upcoming sale of CBS and a desire by its new owners to accommodate Trump might “put pressure on late-night host and frequent Trump critic Stephen Colbert.”

Good morning and Happy Friday to everyone who agrees that it was a bullshit move for CBS to cancel Stephen Colbert’s show just days after he called out their parent company Paramount for bending the knee to trump.I stand with Stephen Colbert.🙏💪pic.twitter.com/ydvyhhlCG1— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) July 18, 2025

Many people have questioned the decision to cancel Colbert’s show, suspecting political and not just financial motivations for doing so. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., expressed her suspicion about the timing of the cancellation.

“CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery,” Warren posted on X, formerly Twitter. “America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.”

CBS canceled Colbert’s show just THREE DAYS after Colbert called out CBS parent company Paramount for its $16M settlement with Trump – a deal that looks like bribery.America deserves to know if his show was canceled for political reasons.Watch and share his message. pic.twitter.com/Rz7HcWFLYM— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 18, 2025

The Trump administration placed pressure on news outlets through lawsuits, including the one filed against CBS. Late last year, ABC News and journalist George Stephanopoulos agreed to pay Trump $15 million to settle a suit the president filed for defamation after he repeatedly stated that Trump had been found “liable for rape” in a case filed by E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her years ago.

It appears that Trump will continue to use legal and financial threats against news outlets criticizing him; he is currently threatening to sue The Wall Street Journal over a story concerning his relationship with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Many people see these suits as methods of intimidation, and Colbert’s cancellation may be evidence that this tactic of Trump’s is working.

In a Truth Social post Friday morning, Trump mentioned, “I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next. Has even less talent than Colbert! Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once great Tonight Show,” referring to Jimmy Fallon.

Social Security is a vital safety net for retirees, older adults and people with disabilities. However, recent reports indicate that its trust fund will run out within the next few years, leaving many who depend on it uncertain about their financial future.

Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, the Social Security Administration has announced several changes that have already affected beneficiaries. From the Department of Government Efficiency’s push to crack down on overpayments to massive staffing cuts, these shifts have led to delays in processing claims, reduced customer service, and growing concern among recipients about the program’s stability.

Social Security changes for recipients

CBS News reported that seniors who rely on these payments may need to explore alternative financial sources for additional income. Making ends meet is already challenging for everyone, but older adults have even more limited options. However, there is some financial relief for this group.

How can seniors save their money?

Here are three ways seniors can supplement their income:

Reverse mortgages allow homeowners 62 and older to receive monthly payments from their home equity, with repayment deferred until the home is sold or the owner passes away, helping seniors to supplement their Social Security income without incurring more debt.

Annuities can be another stable option. By investing a lump sum with a provider, seniors can receive guaranteed monthly income for life, providing financial security regardless of any changes.

Personal loans can potentially take on more debt with higher interest rates, but they can still be a better option than credit cards.

Older adults preparing for retirement have many factors to consider when determining the maximum amount of income they will have after their careers. According to 24/7 Wall St., Social Security can provide these individuals with some retirement benefits, but it only replaces 40% of their pre-retirement income. Some ways to help preserve finances are to explore their employer’s 401(k) options, save raises, cut back on expenses, and even consider having a side job.

Bishop T.D. Jakes isn’t backing down on his claims that AI bots played a major role in spreading false allegations about him concerning Sean “Diddy” Combs. The pastor was the latest guest on John Hope Bryant’s Money and Wealth podcast. During the episode, which dropped on July 14, Jakes spoke about dealing with the rumors about his participation in Combs’ infamous “freak-offs.” The accusations started swirling around ahead of Combs’ sex trafficking trial.

T.D. Jakes says 44,000 AI bots were behind false rumors connecting him to Diddy

As Bryant noted that clickbait needs to stop, Jakes interjected, saying, “When that first broke out, it was 44,000 bots that were released on me.”

Jakes claimed that 98 percent were AI-generated, stating, “We have got to stop getting our information on TikTok.”

He added, “If there were anything there, the FBI would’ve been in it. There’s no hiding it.”

Jakes used his medical issue that occurred in November 2024 during a sermon as an example of how facts presented in real life differ from fictional narratives.

“It’s like when I had my health scare—within seconds, it was all over the world, you wouldn’t have to find it on Instagram, you wouldn’t have to find it on YouTube,” he said. “You would find it in the six o’clock news.”

T.D. Jakes sued Google over false allegations about his participation in Diddy’s ‘freak-offs’

The accusation of fake profiles posting misinformation isn’t new. As Blavity reported in December 2024, Jakes took legal action against Google and YouTube, filing a motion in California federal court to reveal those behind AI-generated videos falsely linking him to Combs.

Jakes’ team argued that these misleading clips, which claimed he resigned over sex abuse allegations, have spread widely and amassed millions of views. They also claimed that it has damaged Jakes’ reputation, and the creators have financially benefited from the misinformation.

The motion seeks a subpoena to compel Google to release account information that could reveal the perpetrators, who are suspected of operating from countries like South Africa, Pakistan, the Philippines and Kenya. YouTube’s embrace of AI content is under scrutiny by Jakes as he and his legal counsel confront the platform’s role in enabling and monetizing digitally manipulated defamation.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a nationwide recall of a substantial quantity of deodorant at major retailers on Tuesday due to issues with manufacturing standards.

A.P. Deauville, LLC, of Easton, Pennsylvania, initiated the voluntary recall of more than 67,000 cases of Power Stick deodorants on July 10, linked to deviations from current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), according to the FDA.

The recall affects three types of Power Stick deodorant products that the company distributed nationwide to popular retailers, including Walmart, Amazon, Dollar Tree and Dollar General.

What are the affected deodorant items?

Here are the following Power Stick products recalled:

#Product DescriptionRecall NumberClassificationCode InformationProduct QuantityReason for Recall1Power Stick for her roll-on Antiperspirant Deodorant Powder Fresh, 1.8 oz / 53 mL UPC: 815195019313 NDC: 42913-038-00N/ANot Yet ClassifiedLot # 032026B011, 032226B031, 051626C241, 061526C882, 071226D371, 071226D381, 082526E341, 082826E40221,265 casescGMP deviations2Power Stick Invisible Protection Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant Spring Fresh, 1.8 oz / 53 mL UPC: 815195018194 NDC: 42913-039-00N/ANot Yet ClassifiedLot # 031726A991, 041226B561, 062026C901, 062026C911, 071026D351, 071026D361, 071326D391, 111626G23122,482 casescGMP deviations3Power Stick Original Nourishing Invisible Protection Roll-On Antiperspirant Deodorant, 1.8 oz / 53 mL UPC: 815195018224 NDC: 42913-040-00N/ANot Yet ClassifiedLot # 101225D781, 032926B281, 032826B221, 041126B531, 062226D011, 070626D301, 070626D333, 111026G051, 111326G091, 111626G22123,400 cases*cGMP deviations

Customers who purchased these products should stop using them immediately and contact the company for further instructions, Local 12 News reported.

A.P. Deauville acquired the Power Stick brand from Unilever and established a production facility in Easton, Pennsylvania, where it develops high-quality products, including Power Stick and Soft Whisper, for women, as stated on the company’s website.

Can deodorant cause breast cancer?

Over the years, consumers have become more health-conscious about the types of food they buy, as well as the beauty products they use on their skin. When it comes to deodorant products, concerned consumers say the ingredients used to combat underarm odor and perspiration are worth examining.

Parabens, chemicals used to preserve food, makeup and skin care products, are thought by some to be a potential health concern because lab studies show they mimic estrogen, a hormone linked to breast cell growth, according to the American Cancer Society. Increased estrogen exposure has been associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.

Aluminum is the active ingredient in most deodorant brands that blocks sweat glands and may be absorbed through the skin, the organization said. Some researchers believe it may affect estrogen receptors in breast cells, potentially increasing breast cancer risk.

“While the research on this topic is limited, most studies have not found a link between antiperspirant use and the development of breast cancer,” the organization stated in a separate report.

SZA took a public stance against the use of artificial intelligence on Wednesday, citing that the technology contributes to environmental racism. She called out the pollution generated by AI and its impact on Black and brown communities in the U.S. Her sentiment echoes previous investigations on the issue, as well as activists who have raised the alarm on the impact of AI on the environment.

SZA said she is ‘deeply concerned’ about AI

On Wednesday, SZA took to social media to express her thoughts on the technology and the way it is being developed.

“Please google how much energy and pollution it takes to run Ai,” she wrote in a comment on Instagram, which she then shared on her Story, according to Billboard. “Please google the beautiful black cities like Memphis that are SUFFERING because of twitters new Ai system.”

“PLEASE JUST GOOGLE ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM,” she added. “AI doesn’t give a f–k if you live or die I promise. THERE IS A PRICE FOR CONVENIENCE AND BLACK AND BROWN [people] WILL PAY THE BRUNT OF IT EVERY-TIME.”

The day before, SZA had already used her public platform to raise the issue: “AI is killing and polluting Black and Brown cities. None of you care ‘cause [you’re] codependent on a machine. Have a great life,” she said, according to Complex.

“I really meant this and I’m deeply concerned .. pls care,” she concluded, according to Rolling Stone.

AI has been subject to debate in recent years

Its use and role have been questioned in relation to education, mental health and the creative industries. Although the ethics of AI are a topic of discussion, studies have shown that the development of artificial intelligence data centers poses a risk to the environment. These centers run on high amounts of water and “a staggering amount of electricity, which leads to increased carbon dioxide emissions and pressures on the electric grid,” according to MIT.

SZA also referred to the issue as being a form of environmental racism, which is defined by the Natural Resources Defense Council as “the intentional siting of polluting and waste facilities in communities primarily populated by African Americans, Latines, Indigenous People, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, migrant farmworkers, and low-income workers.”

In her comments, SZA made a reference to the installation of an artificial intelligence facility in Memphis last year by Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI. Not only was the facility found to be one of the largest air polluters in the county, but it is also located near historically Black neighborhoods that have already been affected by high rates of cancer, asthma and shortened life spans, according to The Guardian. Boxtown is one of the communities that has been faced with poor air quality due to a nearby industrial plant, as well as emissions from a facility that did not receive the proper permits, per the NAACP.

“We cannot afford to normalize this kind of environmental injustice, where billion-dollar companies set up polluting operations in Black neighborhoods without any permits and think they’ll get away with it,” NAACP president Derrick Johnson told The New York Times.

Republicans on a key committee in the House of Representatives have blocked an effort by Democrats to release more information related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died while in prison for sex crimes. The vote comes despite demand from within the MAGA movement to release the so-called Epstein files and anger at the Trump administration from its own base over the case.

Republicans reverse course on Epstein files after pushing theories

In a 5-7 vote, Republicans in the House Rules Committee blocked an effort by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California to force Attorney General Pam Bondi to release files and information relating to the Epstein case. In an amendment to a bill on cryptocurrency, Khanna would have forced Bondi to publicize information held by the government on a “publicly accessible website.” Democrats on the committee voted in favor of the amendment to release the Epstein files, while all Republicans except two voted against the amendment; Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted with Democrats in favor of Khanna’s amendment, while Rep. Chip Roy of Texas abstained.

The vote by Republicans to block the release of the Epstein files comes after the Trump administration recently contradicted previous MAGA rhetoric about the files. For years, prominent MAGA figures have pushed rumors and speculation concerning a supposed “client list” from Epstein, who had many rich and famous friends and associates while he engaged in the sexual exploitation of underage girls. Former right-wing media personality and current Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino was a leading voice in promoting conspiracy theories about the Epstein list and about the financier’s death, which was formally ruled a suicide. Many MAGA faithful have speculated that Democratic or liberal celebrities may be named in the files. Earlier this year, Bondi told Fox News that the files were “sitting on my desk” and that information would be released soon.

MAGA supporters accuse Trump, others of covering up Epstein files

However, Bondi and the FBI have now said that Epstein did in fact die by suicide and that no client list actually exists, leading to accusations of a cover-up. Bongino has reportedly stopped coming into work and has told associates that he may resign from his role at the FBI. The Department of Justice and FBI attempted to quell outrage by releasing prison surveillance footage from the night when Epstein died, but analysis that the video had been edited and was missing a minute of footage have only added to accusations of a conspiracy to hide the truth about Epstein.

MAGA outrage over what they see as a cover-up has reached President Donald Trump. The president posted on his Truth Social platform backing Bondi, accusing Democrats of pushing the idea of the Epstein files, and calling on his supporters to “not waste time” on the files. This has led to an unusual backlash, with MAGA supporters accusing the president and his aides of “gaslighting” them concerning the files.

An unusual sight: President Trump is getting ratio’d on Truth Social for asking his followers to move on from the Epstein files. Some say he’s “gaslighting,” others say it will cost him supporters or even “kill MAGA.” A sampling of some replies getting heavy engagement. pic.twitter.com/TQY2yBkuGN— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) July 13, 2025

The idea of the Trump administration covering up the Epstein list has fueled rumors that Trump — who was a friend of Epstein for years but has denied any involvement in illegal activity — could be implicated in the files. In June, former Trump adviser Elon Musk claimed that Trump was in the Epstein files after the two billionaires had a falling out.

Now, Trump and his officials, such as Bondi, are trying to endure the anger of their previous supporters within the MAGA movement. By seeming to contradict years of rhetoric, innuendo and promises about the Epstein files, Trump and his allies have drawn criticism from his MAGA base, unlike any that Trump has faced since becoming president. And despite Trump’s desire for his supporters to move on from the Epstein scandal, Democrats do not appear to be willing to let Trump drop the issue.