The Trump Presidency, Season 2

[GoblinCampFollower]

There are multiple ridiculous things about the Epstein announcement:

-Pam Bondi claimed the list was on her desk in February, and that there were thousands of documents. She was later caught on hidden cam talking about having video evidence as well.
- The binder incident with the right wing "influencers" waving around binders of supposed released information on Epstein.
- The sudden appearance of video claiming to show that no one entered Epstein's cell on the day of his death. During Trump 1.0, Bill Barr claimed the cameras were not functioning and a guard fell asleep.

I was impressed. Steve Doocy, who is a total idiot, managed to call out Bullshit Barbie's propaganda today:

On the subject, I had a thought: How do we justify keeping Ghislaine Maxwell in prison given that there are apparently no clients? Obviously, I don't want to see her released, I want to see the clients named and charged, but we know this is some bullshit.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

On the subject, I had a thought: How do we justify keeping Ghislaine Maxwell in prison given that there are apparently no clients? Obviously, I don't want to see her released, I want to see the clients named and charged, but we know this is some bullshit.

According to the indictment,

From at least 1994, up to and including in or about 2004, GHISLAINE MAXWELL assisted, facilitated, and participated in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to MAXWELL and Epstein to be under the age of 18. The victims were as young as 14 years old when they were groomed and abused by MAXWELL and Epstein, both of whom knew that their victims were in fact minors. As a part and in furtherance of their scheme to abuse minor victims, MAXWELL and Epstein enticed and caused minor victims to travel to Epstein’s residences in different states, which MAXWELL knew and intended would result in their grooming for and subjection to sexual abuse.

That is, her only known clients were Epstein himself and (though he denies it) Prince Andrew.

 

[Casey Pelous]

That part doesn't seem like such a mystery to me. Bondi has been bought into the conspiracy story since forever, she has always believed that there's a "client list" and video evidence from the jail showing a murder that the last admin was hiding, and when the DOJ dumped the full case file on her desk she simply jumped the gun and excitedly tweeted and told people that she FINALLY HAD THE EVIDENCE! because she assumed sight-unseen that what she believed would be there was there.

It just finally took this long for her to see for herself that they didn't really exist and her belief was wrong. It's really embarrassing, and I'll bet that's why this story is coming in the form of an unsigned memo and not a press statement by Bondi.

Alternate theory: She finally obtained the evidence and instantly received a phone call from "someone important" explaining that it was bad evidence. "Very, very, bad. A lot of people are saying it is the worst evidence ever."

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

According to the indictment,

That is, her only known clients were Epstein himself and (though he denies it) Prince Andrew.

That's why I don't think there even really could be a client list - I don't think there were "clients" really, not in the Deborah Palfrey sense that most people are talking about. Many people seem to have gotten the impression that it was some highly organized or formalized thing where they kept like a brothel of victims that would just be there all the time and there was a long list of people who went to them for "services", but that doesn't seem to be what was actually going on. Epstein's people, mainly Ghislaine I guess, would find girls and send them to whichever place he'd be at for the weekend or however long. And if while they were there he had a visitor he wanted to blackmail, he'd offer to share them.

Nobody knows the number of people that Epstein was blackmailing over this specifically, but it might well have been small enough for him to be able to easily keep the list inside his head rather than needing to write it in a ledger somewhere. In the main though, the underage girls were there to be used by Epstein.

 

[Free]

 

[Essence Lumin]

Barf

Netanyahu plays into Trump’s hopes for Middle East peace — and nominates him for a Nobel Peace Prize | CNN

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Lolwut? Pakistan (!) officially recommended Trump for Nobel Peace Price, praising his "stellar statesmanship." The reason why is how Trump helped to defuse the conflict between Pakistan and India.

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/21/asia/pakistan-trump-nobel-peace-prize-nomination-intl

 

[Innula Zenovka]

That's why I don't think there even really could be a client list - I don't think there were "clients" really, not in the Deborah Palfrey sense that most people are talking about. Many people seem to have gotten the impression that it was some highly organized or formalized thing where they kept like a brothel of victims that would just be there all the time and there was a long list of people who went to them for "services", but that doesn't seem to be what was actually going on. Epstein's people, mainly Ghislaine I guess, would find girls and send them to whichever place he'd be at for the weekend or however long. And if while they were there he had a visitor he wanted to blackmail, he'd offer to share them.

Nobody knows the number of people that Epstein was blackmailing over this specifically, but it might well have been small enough for him to be able to easily keep the list inside his head rather than needing to write it in a ledger somewhere. In the main though, the underage girls were there to be used by Epstein.

Though if he wanted to blackmail people, I'd have thought he'd have wanted some damaging evidence he could threaten to reveal. This might well exist somewhere (in a safe deposit box in a bank vault somewhere, maybe) but probably not in his home safe.

I'm willing to believe Epstein kept videos at home for his own gratification, documenting his abuse of victims, but I'm less persuaded he would have stored potential blackmail material involving others on the premises.

I suspect any evidence currently in the possession of the FBI is more likely similar to the notorious image of Prince Andrew with his arm round Virginia Giuffre, with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background -- highly embarrassing if published because of what it suggests, but no more.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Though if he wanted to blackmail people, I'd have thought he'd have wanted some damaging evidence he could threaten to reveal. This might well exist somewhere (in a safe deposit box in a bank vault somewhere, maybe) but probably not in his home safe.

I'm willing to believe Epstein kept videos at home for his own gratification, documenting his abuse of victims, but I'm less persuaded he would have stored potential blackmail material involving others on the premises.

I suspect any evidence currently in the possession of the FBI is more likely similar to the notorious image of Prince Andrew with his arm round Virginia Giuffre, with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background -- highly embarrassing if published because of what it suggests, but no more.

Right, I think the idea is that he had hidden cameras that would video whatever they were doing while staying at his places. Whether that be doing things with the underage victims, or drugs, or whatever.

The DOJ memo says that their case file on Epstein includes videos of child abuse. Those COULD possibly just videos of him abusing them, or they could be his blackmail material. We don't know and they're not saying. So just to put it out there, while I kinda don't think I believe that there is a "client list" as such for the Trump DOJ to suppress, it's totally possible that there are identifiable people on those videos that the DOJ has been pressured or ordered to NOT go after. So like, there still totally could be a cover-up going on there.

Another thing to consider: the people who visited Epstein at his houses were his friends and people he wanted to like and support him. I can see him feeling a need to create dirt on them as a "just in case" thing, but the fastest way to destroy trust or ruin a friendship would be to tell someone out loud that you've got dirt on them. If they know that they were abusing underage girls, and you know it, and they know you know it, you don't even need an actual video to keep them in line, just the threat that one might exist is probably enough.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Right, I think the idea is that he had hidden cameras that would video whatever they were doing while staying at his places. Whether that be doing things with the underage victims, or drugs, or whatever.

The DOJ memo says that their case file on Epstein includes videos of child abuse. Those COULD possibly just videos of him abusing them, or they could be his blackmail material. We don't know and they're not saying. So just to put it out there, while I kinda don't think I believe that there is a "client list" as such for the Trump DOJ to suppress, it's totally possible that there are identifiable people on those videos that the DOJ has been pressured or ordered to NOT go after. So like, there still totally could be a cover-up going on there.

Another thing to consider: the people who visited Epstein at his houses were his friends and people he wanted to like and support him. I can see him feeling a need to create dirt on them as a "just in case" thing, but the fastest way to destroy trust or ruin a friendship would be to tell someone out loud that you've got dirt on them. If they know that they were abusing underage girls, and you know it, and they know you know it, you don't even need an actual video to keep them in line, just the threat that one might exist is probably enough.

Good point. Just the rumour of secret cameras and client lists would probably be sufficient, particularly since Epstein would presumably be interested in obtaining favours if he needed them rather than demanding payment in return for his silence.

 

[Free]

Me thinks Trump is getting uppity.

A Flustered Pam Bondi Tries to Explain Why a Minute Was Missing From the Epstein Jail Video

Trump got very defensive when questions were raised about Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday.

gizmodo.com

The reporter asked Bondi about rumors that Epstein had worked for either a U.S. intelligence agency or some kind of foreign agency, as well as that mysterious gap in the video surveillance tape, which doesn’t seem to make much sense. Trump chimed in before Bondi could answer.

“Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy has been talked about for years. You’re asking… we have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things, we…” Trump said referring to the devastating floods in Texas before trailing off. “And are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable. Do you want to waste the time? Do you feel like answering?”

Bondi replied that she didn’t mind answering before Trump started up with his rambling again.

“I mean, I can’t believe you’re asking a question on Epstein at a time like this, where we’re having some of the greatest success and also tragedy with what happened in Texas. It just seems like a desecration. But you go ahead,” Trump said before finally letting Bondi speak.

QAnon'ers are not going to like his attitude...

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

QAnon'ers are not going to like his attitude...

When you're dealing with culty fanatics they can be hard to predict. But FWIW, here's my bet: They will find a way to rationalize it away and keep supporting their guy. I know there's a lot of complaining right now, but I'm betting it will peter out.

My reasoning: they only ever cared about Epstein because it was a way to attack Bill Clinton - meaning, Hillary by proxy. They care about things and then suddenly stop caring about them or care about the opposite thing on command all the time, and I don't think this will be that different.

 

[Noodles]

When you're dealing with culty fanatics they can be hard to predict. But FWIW, here's my bet: They will find a way to rationalize it away and keep supporting their guy. I know there's a lot of complaining right now, but I'm betting it will peter out.

My reasoning: they only ever cared about Epstein because it was a way to attack Bill Clinton - meaning, Hillary by proxy. They care about things and then suddenly stop caring about them or care about the opposite thing on command all the time, and I don't think this will be that different.

If anything, the idea of Bill Clinton being a oart of tbis will just be an excuse to jistify it. Because "See, Both Sides".

 

[Free]

Sounds like a...plan?

Trump's agriculture head expects '34M able-bodied on Medicaid' to do farm work

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins argued that 34 million "able-bodied adults" who are at risk of losing their Medicaid benefits should be expected to take the jobs of migrants on farms.During a Tuesday press conference, Rollins was asked about President Donald Trump's pledge to give farmers a...

www.rawstory.com

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins argued that 34 million "able-bodied adults" who are at risk of losing their Medicaid benefits should be expected to take the jobs of migrants on farms.

During a Tuesday press conference, Rollins was asked about President Donald Trump's pledge to give farmers a "pass" when it came to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.

"There will be no amnesty," Rollins insisted. "The mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way. And we move the workforce towards automation and 100% American participation, which again, with 34 million people, able-bodied adults on Medicaid, we should be able to do that fairly quickly."

 

[Noodles]

> 34 Million

This graphic from Pew seems interesting.

Basically, they see everyone who is not a child or elderly or disabled, as "Not supposed to have Medicaid". (ACA+Other Adult is about the 34 million number mentiomed)

 

[Beebo Brink]

Basically, they see everyone who is not a child or elderly or disabled, as "Not supposed to have Medicaid". (ACA+Other Adult is about the 34 million number mentiomed)

Many of those are already employed, just at such shit wages that they can barely survive.

 

[Khamon]

The difference is that Obama was working to ensure permanent border protection. Trump Lord Vought doesn't care so much about the borders. Most Americans rank on the same level as criminal illegal immigrants under The Great Plan. He's building a federal police force that will eventually trump, no pun intended, state and local law enforcement. Why can people not see this clearly?

Trump is deporting way fewer people than Obama did. Why?

The “deporter in chief” still holds the record.

www.vox.com

or if paywall you can read it here: https://archive.ph/RjQLt

 

[Innula Zenovka]

When you're dealing with culty fanatics they can be hard to predict. But FWIW, here's my bet: They will find a way to rationalize it away and keep supporting their guy. I know there's a lot of complaining right now, but I'm betting it will peter out.

My reasoning: they only ever cared about Epstein because it was a way to attack Bill Clinton - meaning, Hillary by proxy. They care about things and then suddenly stop caring about them or care about the opposite thing on command all the time, and I don't think this will be that different.

This, by the British writer David Aaronovitch, from when the cosplay with the folders took place back in March, makes some very good points.

The Epstein conspiracy

The truth finally emerges

open.substack.com

Evernote Link

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

LOL oh yeah, I forgot that release (of already long-released files) was officially named "Phase 1", implying that a Phase 2 at the very least was planned or expected. Guess not! Fake news!