Laura Loomer Says Right-Wing 'Grifters' Using Trump-Epstein For Own Benefit

Conservative commentator Laura Loomer has criticized what she describes as a "weaponized narrative" surrounding former President Donald Trump's past association with Jeffrey Epstein. Loomer blamed both the mainstream media and political opportunists—on the left and right—for using the controversy to undermine Trump and distract from his 2024 campaign.

Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting federal sex trafficking charges, had longstanding ties to several powerful individuals, including Trump and former President Bill Clinton. Since Epstein’s death, speculation has persisted online about a supposed “client list” implicating influential figures.

During his 2024 reelection campaign, Trump hinted that, if re-elected, he would declassify and release the Epstein-related files. However, despite these promises, no such release has occurred since his return to office in January. This delay has caused tension between Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, and even drawn skepticism from segments of Trump's own political base.

Loomer, speaking to Newsweek, said the Epstein issue is being manipulated by figures across the spectrum, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, whom she accused of being a “grifters’ grifter” capitalizing on the controversy. She also referenced internal Fox communications from the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, in which Carlson privately criticized Trump, even while publicly supporting him.

Loomer dismissed a recent Wall Street Journal article that reported Trump once sent a birthday message to Epstein, calling it a "hoax" and an effort to smear Trump amid unrelated controversies, including renewed criticism over the handling of the Epstein case during Trump’s first term. Trump has threatened legal action against the outlet, calling the claims “fake” and saying, “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women.”

Far-right influencers like Nick Fuentes and comedian Andrew Schultz have also weighed in, with Fuentes accusing Trump of betraying his supporters, and Schultz saying that the lack of transparency insults the public’s intelligence.

Despite growing pressure, Loomer insisted that most Trump supporters remain focused on broader issues like immigration, the economy, and foreign policy—rather than the Epstein files. “The average American isn’t sitting around wondering when these files will drop,” she said. “It’s become sensationalized, but not politically decisive.”

Nonetheless, calls for the release of the Epstein files continue to intensify. House Speaker Mike Johnson recently stated there is “no daylight” between Congress and the White House on the issue, and that a Rules Committee vote was meant to signal unified Republican support for making the documents public.

Whether those files will actually be released, and how the Trump administration ultimately addresses the controversy, remains an open—and politically charged—question.