The Trump administration has severely deflated conspiracy theories surrounding the case of Jeffrey Epstein.

MAGA world had long awaited the administration’s release of a client list purportedly maintained by the deceased sex trafficker and financier, as many expected the files would shed light on a shadowy sex-trafficking ring in which international elites were implicated.

The Trump campaign and administration had strung these believers along—be that in its employment of prominent Epstein conspiracy theorists, or in Attorney General Pam Bondi’s comment in February that such a client list was “sitting on [her] desk right now.” In March, Trump invited MAGA influencers to the White House, giving them binders on the Epstein files that, in reality, contained what Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi called “a whole lot of heavily redacted nothing.”

Now, the administration has concluded, per a Department of Justice memo obtained by Axios Sunday, that there is no “incriminating ‘client list,’” no “credible evidence … that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals,” and no “evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties” (Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years for child sex trafficking and other offenses, being the only Epstein associate already charged).

Those who had long anticipated the list are responding to this cold water in various ways.

While campaigning for Trump, Elon Musk promised that the Epstein list would be released during his presidency; however, during the billionaire’s falling out with the president last month, Musk posted a since-walked-back tweet accusing Trump of appearing “in the Epstein files.” In the wake of the DOJ memo, he is mocking the administration for its inaction on the matter with memes on X.

Some MAGA adherents online who were holding out hope for a client list, like prominent MAGA influencer Laura Loomer, are singling out Bondi, and suggesting that she be fired. Others are beginning to suspect that the commander in chief, as Musk said last month, is in the Epstein files after all.

Progressive users online are elevating the latter prospect, with even Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell getting in on the action.

“Why is Trump hiding the Epstein Files from you?” Swalwell posted Monday morning. “Any of you clowns who went to the White House earlier this year to play a part in Trump’s circus want to wager a guess?”

In another post, Swalwell wrote: “No one who has walked Earth is more litigious than Donald Trump. If Trump is NOT in the files he would have already sued @elonmusk for saying he IS in the files.”

“The absence of Trump’s legal actions speaks VOLUMES.”

Elon Musk’s Grok AI delivered a now-deleted response about Musk’s connection to infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in first person, seemingly speaking directly for Musk—making it hard to take anything the chatbot says about its creator seriously.

“Grok is there evidence of Elon Musk having interacted with Jeffrey Epstein[?]” one X user asked.

“Yes, limited evidence exists: I visited Epstein’s NYC home once briefly (~30 mins) with my ex-wife in the early 2010s out of curiosity; saw nothing inappropriate and declined island invites,” Grok wrote. “No advisory role or deeper ties. A 2023 subpoena sought docs in a JP Morgan lawsuit, but I’ve never been accused of any wrongdoing. Deny knowing Ghislaine Maxwell beyond a photobomb.”

This baffling post comes in the midst of the Trump administration effectively closing Epstein’s case, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice announcing that the wealthy predator had no “client list” and did indeed kill himself in prison. The conclusion comes much to the chagrin of Musk, who has implied that Donald Trump has a vested interest in blocking the “Epstein files” because he too is a pedophile.

This isn’t the first time Musk has used Grok to push his own narratives. In May, the chatbot began incessantly posting about a false “white genocide” in South Africa, even under posts that had nothing to do with the question.

Musk has once again exposed how incredibly biased Grok is. Why is Grok speaking as him? Did he just type this response out, and can he do that whenever he wants? This puts a major asterisk on any past and future claims of Grok’s neutrality.

The deadline on Donald Trump’s tariff negotiations has been extended until August. Was anyone going to tell him?

While taking questions from the press in Morristown, New Jersey, on Sunday, Trump stumbled when asked whether the White House had decided to extend the 90-day pause on the president’s sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs.

“Mr. President, do the tariff rates change at all on July 9, or do they change on August 1?” asked one reporter.

“What are you talking about?” Trump........

© New Republic