The Epstein files controversy dominated a major conservative youth conference in Tampa this weekend, with thousands of attendees calling for Attorney General Pam Bondi’s dismissal even as President Donald Trump urged his political base to abandon what he called their obsession with the deceased financier.
The revolt at Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Centre represented an unprecedented challenge to Trump’s authority over the movement he created. For the first time, significant numbers of his most devoted supporters openly defied his directive on a major issue.
“It’s not even about Pam Bondi to me. It’s like, look, Trump, we elected you because you were supposed to be different,” said Sharon Allen, a 24-year-old attendee from Florida, expressing frustration shared by many at the three-day event.
Trump’s Saturday Night Intervention
Trump attempted to quell the uprising with a lengthy Truth Social post on Saturday evening that dismissed the importance of the Epstein investigation. The president blamed Democrats for creating the files and questioned why his supporters continued focusing on the issue.
“For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again,” Trump wrote. Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden administration.
The post marked Trump’s most direct confrontation with his base since taking office. He defended Bondi as doing “a FANTASTIC JOB” and expressed displeasure with what he called “selfish people” trying to hurt his administration.
Former Florida state Representative Anthony Sabatini, a longtime Trump supporter attending the summit, called the president’s message “out of touch.” He told reporters that “Trump is losing his touch” and demanded a “full reset” of personnel.
Justice Department Memo Sparks Outrage
The controversy erupted after the Justice Department released a two-page memo on Monday stating that its review found no evidence of an Epstein “client list” or proof that the financier had blackmailed prominent individuals. The department confirmed Epstein died by suicide in 2019 and announced no additional files would be released.
The memo directly contradicted statements Bondi had made earlier this year. In a February Fox News interview, she claimed an Epstein client list was “sitting on my desk right now to review.
She was saying the entirety of all of the paperwork,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attempted to clarify on Monday, suggesting Bondi meant general case files rather than a specific list.
Conservative influencers who had been invited to the White House in February to receive what were labelled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1″ expressed fury. The documents they received contained largely public information, leading to embarrassment for the administration.
Conference Becomes Flashpoint
At the Tampa summit, which drew over 5,000 young conservatives from all 50 states, speaker after speaker addressed the Epstein controversy. The event featured prominent figures including Donald Trump Jr., Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Fox News personalities.
“Epstein is a key that picks the lock on so many things, not just individuals, but also institutions, intelligence institutions, foreign governments,” Steve Bannon told the crowd, advocating for a special counsel appointment.
When conservative commentator Megyn Kelly asked the audience to choose between Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino on Friday night, the crowd of 7,000 unanimously shouted “Bongino!” Charlie Kirk, Turning Point USA’s founder, noted the result was “7,000 to 0.”
Podcaster Brandon Tatum captured the prevailing sentiment when he told attendees: “I think that that guy was involved in something nefarious that implicates a whole lot of people. And my guess is that a whole lot of people may happen to be some of our allies.”
Administration in Damage Control
The White House spent days attempting to contain the fallout before Trump’s Saturday intervention. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that rumours of his resignation were “conspiracy theories,” whilst officials issued statements affirming unity within the law enforcement team.
President Trump has assembled a highly qualified and experienced law and order team dedicated to protecting Americans,” spokesman Harrison Fields said on Friday. “Any attempt to sow division within this team is baseless.”
Sources familiar with internal discussions revealed that senior Trump administration officials had been privately communicating with prominent MAGA influencers throughout the week, urging them to “ramp it down” on the Epstein issue. These efforts proved largely unsuccessful.
NBC News and other outlets reported tensions between Bondi and both Patel and Bongino over the handling of the Epstein documents. Both FBI officials had previously used their media platforms to promote theories about government cover-ups in the case.
Calls for Action Intensify
Jack Posobiec, a prominent Trump supporter, told the Saturday conference that he would “not rest until we go full Jan. 6 committee on the Epstein Files.” He demanded FBI agents visit “every single client involved” with the same intensity used against January 6th participants.
Bannon reported that audience sentiment at his live shows during the conference ran “100% against Bondi remaining as AG.” He told NBC News he had “never seen anything like it” in terms of unified opposition from Trump’s base.
I support Pam as AG but think a Special Counsel has to be named to take the Epstein case over,” Bannon said, attempting to find middle ground whilst acknowledging the depth of feeling amongst supporters.
Historical Context
The Epstein investigation has long captivated segments of Trump’s base who believe powerful figures have escaped accountability. Epstein, a wealthy financier, was arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and died in his Manhattan jail cell a month later.
A medical examiner ruled his death a suicide, a finding reaffirmed by multiple investigations including one by Trump’s first attorney general, William Barr. However, conspiracy theories about his death and alleged connections to powerful people have persisted.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to release all Epstein-related files, fuelling expectations amongst his supporters. Bondi’s February comments about reviewing a “client list” further heightened anticipation.
Protesters Counter-Demonstrate
Outside the convention centre, left-wing protesters organised by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society marched against the summit on Saturday. They accused Turning Point USA of spreading an “extremist agenda” and clashed briefly with conference attendees.
Tampa police intervened when counter-protesters began chanting “USA” at the demonstrators. One protester was left bloodied in the street during the confrontation, according to witnesses.
The protesters carried signs reading “Defeat the Trump agenda” and chanted slogans against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Their presence added to the tension surrounding an already fraught weekend for the conservative movement.
Unprecedented Division
Political analysts described the scene in Tampa as unprecedented in the Trump era. Never before had such a large gathering of his supporters so openly rejected his position on a major issue.
This is the first time we’ve seen genuine grassroots revolt against Trump from within MAGA,” said one Republican strategist who requested anonymity. “The Epstein issue touches something deeper than policy—it’s about trust and transparency.”
Another Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity on Saturday evening, acknowledged the damage: “He is making it very hard for some of his biggest supporters to not think that maybe he really is in the Epstein files.
The conference concluded on Sunday with scheduled appearances from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. However, the Epstein controversy overshadowed other agenda items throughout the weekend.
As young conservatives departed Tampa, many expressed continued dissatisfaction despite Trump’s plea for unity. The president’s instruction to let the FBI focus on “investigating Voter Fraud” and “The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020” instead of Epstein files appeared to have little impact on their priorities.
Whether this represents a temporary rift or a more fundamental break between Trump and elements of his base remains to be seen. What is clear is that the Epstein files controversy has exposed limits to Trump’s influence over the movement he created, even amongst his youngest and most devoted followers.
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Image Credit:
Former President Donald Trump – Photo by Gedalia Vera, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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