Trump dismisses Epstein files backlash as critics say DOJ missed legal deadline

President Donald Trump’s response to the release of court-ordered Jeffrey Epstein files suggests he is operating in an “alternate reality,” according to a USA Today column by Chris Brennan.

Brennan pointed to Trump’s public comments downplaying the controversy, including remarks such as “I thought that was finished” and claims that there was “tremendous backlash” because images were being released of people who “really had nothing to do with Epstein.”

While Trump was correct that the document release has triggered public outrage, Brennan argued that the anger is not directed at the individuals named — but at the Department of Justice itself. Congress passed a law in November requiring the full release of the Epstein files by Dec. 19, a deadline the DOJ failed to meet.

“Trump was right that the Epstein files have prompted a backlash,” Brennan wrote. “But that anger is directed at the Department of Justice for not obeying the law.”

Trump has sought to portray the controversy as a partisan attack driven by “mostly Democrats and a couple of bad Republicans.” Brennan noted that this claim conflicts with the voting record: nearly every Republican in both the House and Senate voted alongside Democrats in favor of the legislation mandating the release of the files. Trump ultimately signed the bill into law on Nov. 19, after months of reportedly pressuring Republicans to abandon their support — an effort that became increasingly untenable as Epstein survivors testified before Congress.

The issue resurfaced this week with the release of additional documents, including an alleged letter from Epstein to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar that names Trump as a companion of underage girls. The Department of Justice has stated that the letter is not authentic.

Brennan contrasted Trump’s reaction with that of former President Bill Clinton, who also had documented social ties to Epstein. Clinton spokesperson Ángel Ureña criticized the DOJ for selectively releasing materials while failing to comply with the law.

“Someone or something is being protected,” Ureña said in a public statement, adding, “We need no such protection.”

Trump dismisses Epstein files backlash as critics say DOJ missed legal deadline