Americans skeptical of Trump on Epstein, but Republican doubts ease, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
By Andy Sullivan and Jason Lange
WASHINGTON, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Americans are deeply skeptical of President Donald Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, but Trump is gaining support among his core Republican followers who have long focused on the case, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The survey, completed Monday, found that most Americans believe the Trump administration concealed information about the late sex offender, including his death in 2019 and his ties to rich and powerful people, and disbelieve Trump’s claim that he was unaware of Epstein’s alleged trafficking of teenage girls when they were friends decades ago.
Only 23 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the ongoing scandal, while 52 percent disapprove, according to the poll.
But the poll found he eased his supporters’ concerns: 53% of Republicans said they approved of his handling of the issue; This rate was 44% last month. That’s still far below the 85% approval rating Trump generally enjoys among Republicans.
This could be very important. Trump fueled conspiracy theories about Epstein before returning to the White House this year, with prominent supporters accusing his administration of a cover-up.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress defied Trump last month and passed a law requiring the Justice Department to release documents related to its long-running investigation into Epstein by Dec. 19.
The online survey of 4,434 U.S. adults from Dec. 3 to Dec. 8 found continued doubts about the role of the U.S. government.
62 percent of respondents — including 56 percent of Republicans — said they believed the government was withholding information about the 2019 death of Epstein, who faces federal sex trafficking charges, at a Manhattan jail, which was ruled a suicide.
An even higher proportion (70 percent) said they thought the government was withholding information about people who might have been involved in the alleged sex trafficking of young girls by the late financier; This includes 62 percent of Republicans.
And just 18% said they thought Trump didn’t know about Epstein’s alleged crimes before they became public. Among Republicans, the rate was 34 percent.
Trump has said he was unaware of Epstein’s activities and that they broke off their friendship before Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to a guilty plea to a charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution.
(Reporting by Andy Sullivan and Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone and Deepa Babington)
