There are a number of things I don’t understand about the Trump administration. But I think I’ve got a handle on what is happening with the Jeffrey Epstein issue. I’ve gleaned it from multiple sources online. I’ve seen little of this in the major media, who seem to prefer taking Steve Bannon’s word that there’s no there there or are looking at it strictly from the point of view of Epstein’s sex trafficking of minors.
There are at least two ways to look at the situation: 1) From a relatively normal logic in which most people agree that sex trafficking children is evil; and 2) From a MAGA/ QAnon perspective, which adds a great deal to the normal logic. The second is important for understanding, and perhaps using, what is happening.
QAnon surfaced for most of us with PizzaGate, when a guy attacked a Washington pizza parlor looking for the catacombs in which children were being tortured. There were no catacombs and no torture. Here’s a summary of that. Some people still believe that that guy had it right.
The general QAnon idea is that people in power kidnap children to harvest adrenochrome to keep themselves young. Pedophilia seems to be part of it too. You can probably find many variations, but it’s basically the same story — these horrible people — all Democrats — are so depraved that they torture children.
Somewhere along the way, Epstein was incorporated into the story. He trafficked children for sex and interacted with many powerful people and thus fit into the existing narrative. Trump, ever sensitive to his batshit-crazy audiences, promised that all would be revealed and implied that the powerful people that QAnon pointed at were indeed part of the conspiracy. He added all the usual objects of hate, including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Within QAnon, this elevated Trump to savior. He would reveal the pedophiles. There would be trials and executions. This was called “The Storm.” It went further than what Trump said, but he didn’t disavow any of it – they were his supporters, after all.
The QAnon faction has been estimated at a third of Trump’s support. That’s a lot, and milder versions of these ideas undoubtedly float into the consciousness of less-committed followers and voters. Trump promised to release the Epstein files, which the QAnon faction took to mean that The Storm was coming. Vindication at last! Vengeance on Hillary!
And then Pam Bondi said no, there’s nothing there and no, she wasn’t releasing the files.
The faithful were denied The Storm. That is what they are angry about.
Additionally, Trump has handled the non-release in such a way as to provoke suspicions of the worst. DON’T LOOK! NOTHING TO SEE HERE! LOOK OVER THERE — OBAMA AND MUELLER — SQUIRREL!
The QAnon faithful feel betrayed. They were promised revelations of adrenochrome parties and trials and executions, and now nothing.
Many of those less bought-in see trafficking of teenagers for sex with powerful men as a bad thing. Reminders of Epstein’s activities and Trump’s friendship with Epstein are now everywhere. Ew.
Normal people focus on the sex trafficking, and the Democrats are joining Republicans in insisting that the files be released. If they are released and it’s Donald Trump having sex parties with children rather than Hillary Clinton, that’s a problem with a large chunk of his base. It may be even more of a problem with the people who voted for him because the price of eggs was too high.
