Epstein Fallout Rips MAGA Apart!
Trump’s attempt to deflect Epstein revelations by invoking fake intelligence about civil rights leaders has ignited chaos within his base, fracturing MAGA unity and spawning toxic rumor spirals.
At a Glance
• Trump claimed “classified” documents implicate MLK and Obama in “deep state ops”
• MAGA influencers split—some denounce, others double down on the hoax
• Conspiracy rumors are accelerating on Truth Social, Gab, and Telegram
• Civil rights leaders called Trump’s claims “slanderous and grotesque”
• Polls show falling trust in Trump among key MAGA subgroups
The Hoax That Split MAGA
Donald Trump ignited a firestorm this week by claiming he had “classified intelligence” proving that Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama were part of a “long-running subversion program” allegedly connected to Epstein-era corruption. The bizarre accusation was posted on Truth Social within hours of Trump’s name being referenced in newly unsealed Epstein deposition logs.
Watch a report: MAGA’s Latest Theory: Trump Was the Whistleblower
While mainstream media dismissed the claims as fiction, far-right networks—including fringe podcasters and Telegram influencers—amplified them. Some accused “globalist assets” of editing MLK’s FBI files. Others claimed “Obama knew everything” and linked the hoax to Epstein’s island logs, despite zero verifiable evidence.
Infowar Among the Faithful
The response within MAGA circles was not unified. High-profile influencers like Dan Bongino and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene distanced themselves, calling the MLK-Obama-Epstein theory “distracting nonsense.” But others—Steve Bannon, Jack Posobiec, and multiple QAnon-adjacent forums—pushed the hoax harder, alleging “suppression” by Big Tech and “cowardice” by GOP leaders.
The schism is tearing at the MAGA base’s cohesion. Internal campaign group chats leaked to reporters show Trump aides arguing over whether to disavow the theory or let it fester to distract from Epstein-related media coverage. Meanwhile, polling from the Lincoln Project shows a 13-point decline in Trump’s favorability among “hyper-online conservatives” aged 25–40.
Civil rights organizations, the King Center, and surviving members of MLK’s family issued sharp rebukes, calling the hoax “grotesque disinformation.” NAACP president Derrick Johnson labeled the episode “a stain on the presidency, even in exile.”
Consequences of Conspiratorial Overload
Strategists warn that Trump’s increasingly erratic embrace of baseless conspiracies could create long-term damage to the movement. “When you weaponize sacred symbols like MLK to shield yourself from scandal, you’re not dodging accountability—you’re inviting collapse,” said one former campaign operative.
Legal experts suggest these diversions may be more than rhetorical. If Trump’s team is actively seeding false documentation or encouraging public misinformation about legal cases, it could open new avenues of liability for defamation or obstruction.
Meanwhile, the Epstein scandal itself shows no signs of retreating. Multiple depositions filed in civil court last week describe Trump attending two Epstein-hosted events in the 1990s, with one involving an underage modeling agency party. While no criminal charges have been filed, survivor attorneys suggest new testimony could reshape the legal horizon.
For Trump, the gamble to blur reality with myth may backfire spectacularly. Instead of escaping the gravity of the Epstein scandal, he’s pulled his own coalition into its vortex.