Democrats found themselves on the defensive Thursday after amplifying an email from Jeffrey Epstein—perhaps the least credible figure in American public life—to attack President Donald Trump, a messaging choice critics say effectively aligned the party with the disgraced financier’s judgment.
The controversy erupted after @TheDemocrats highlighted a 2017 email Epstein sent to former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers as “breaking news.” Epstein denounced Trump as “one of the worst people” he knew with “not one decent cell in his body,” calling him “dangerous.” Democrats posted the excerpt along with an Oversight Committee document image:
BREAKING: Newly released emails show Jeffrey Epstein thought Trump was one of the worst people he knew, with “not one decent cell in his body.”
He went on to describe Trump with one word:
“Dangerous.” pic.twitter.com/kMyRwkgk8i
— Democrats (@TheDemocrats) November 13, 2025
The reaction was immediate—and brutal. Rather than saddle Trump with Epstein’s condemnation, Democrats were accused of openly validating the opinions of a man whose name is synonymous with predation. The optics were unmistakable: by elevating Epstein’s assessment to score a political hit, Democrats now appeared to be leaning on his reputation as if it lent moral weight.
“Democrats yesterday: Jeffrey Epstein was best friends with Trump… Democrats today: Jeffrey Epstein hated Trump… Pick a lane already,” wrote @DataRepublican, posting a meme:
Democrats yesterday: Jeffrey Epstein was best friends with Trump and this proves Trump is a bad man!
Democrats today: Jeffrey Epstein hated Trump and this proves Trump is a bad man!
Pick a lane already. pic.twitter.com/HsLzVN74Cp
— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) November 13, 2025
Other users framed the move even more starkly:
If Jeffrey Epstein hated you then that was a good thing.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) November 13, 2025
“Dems now defend a pedo because the pedo hates Trump… Get a grip.”
By Thursday evening, the hashtag #DemocratsForEpstein had surged, amplified by posts such as @TRHLofficial’s:
Wow, Jeffrey Epstein is just like you guys!
— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) November 13, 2025
The backlash touched on a deeper contradiction: the party has long portrayed Epstein as a monstrous figure, emblematic of elite abuse and impunity. Yet Thursday’s messaging effectively recast him—however unintentionally—as a credible witness against Trump. Analysts said that single pivot was what made the backlash so ferocious.
The White House dismissed the entire episode as political theater. Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson told the BBC the emails “prove literally nothing” and called the Democratic messaging a “hoax.”
Democrats initially released an email that made it appear that the president had “spent hours” with one of the victims, crossing out the name of the victim and replacing it with just “VICTIM” in their release. It was later revealed that they redacted the name because she had previously testified that she never saw Trump doing anything wrong.
Democrats redacted the name of Virginia Guiffre in the email. That's because Guiffre testified under oath she never saw Trump do anything wrong or at Epstein's house.
Ron Wyden needs to be asked why he takes the word of Jeffrey Epstein over his victim. https://t.co/gNniGgBr1Z
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) November 13, 2025
It's really amazing how hard they're trying to spin this. pic.twitter.com/gSKV7sUrbp
— Gabriel J. Benton ☦️🇺🇸 (@OrthodoxPole81) November 13, 2025
Some believe that Democrats have been trying to change the narrative after the failure of their government shutdown.
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