Right-wing shows field angry calls about Epstein and the Trump administration
The Trump administration’s release of the Epstein memo has caused turmoil in right-wing media, and some callers on conservative radio shows are demanding answers. They’ve said they’re “angry,” accused President Donald Trump of “the ultimate betrayal,” and claimed Attorney General Pam Bondi “messed up” in her handling of the situation.
In early July, the Department of Justice and FBI released a memo saying there is “no incriminating ‘client list’” of prominent figures for whom Epstein sexually trafficked underage girls. Additionally, the memo concurred with the medical examiner’s finding that Epstein died by suicide. However, prior to Trump’s inauguration, right-wing media and Trump officials pushed conspiracy theories coming to the opposite conclusions.
Since Trump told supporters to “not waste Time and Energy on Jeffery Epstein,” Fox News and a handful of other right-wing media figures have shifted their focus away from the story, while others have suggested the Trump administration’s actions look like a “cover-up” and a “fumble.” And some listeners calling into conservative radio shows are voicing their frustrations with the administration’s decision.
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Related Knowledge Center: Information integrity
In an increasingly fractured media landscape, truth has been a casualty in the public discussion. Coverage has been warped by the business needs of struggling news organizations, and a significant segment of the public relies on bad-faith outlets that are little more than propagandists. While fact-checking has become routine, some organizations are exploring other ways to combat the trends. And misinformation spewed by AI-driven chatbots has become more of a feature than simply a bug.
Fact-checking and its detractors