Donald Trump is facing growing criticism from within his own base following his defense of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s stance on the Jeffrey Epstein case. Many loyal supporters feel betrayed after Bondi and the Department of Justice denied the existence of an alleged Epstein “client list” and refused to release further files.
In a Truth Social post, Trump dismissed the renewed interest in the case, blaming “Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden administration” for fueling conspiracy theories. But the response from conservatives has not been favorable.
At the Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA, concerns about transparency dominated discussions. Podcaster Brandon Tatum voiced distrust, saying the Epstein scandal likely involves “a whole lot of people,” possibly even Trump allies.

Attendee Sharon Allen, 24, echoed the frustration, stating, “Trump, we elected you because you were supposed to be different… We trusted you to expose these people.”
Adding to the pressure, a new ActiVote poll shows Trump’s national approval rating has slipped to 45%, with 52% disapproving—his worst net rating of his second term at -7.
While still outperforming his first-term lows, the decline signals growing unrest among his supporters.