Afrasianet - A lack of transparency in the U.S. investigation intoJeffrey Epstein , who is accused of sexual assault, has created a rare gap between President Donald Trump and his traditionally loyal Republican base.
Here's a glimpse into the history of this case and why it has sparked so much anger that has long been dominated by conspiracy theories.
The origin of the Epstein case
Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy American businessman, was first accused of sexual assault in 2006 after the parents of a 14-year-old girl told police he had molested their daughter at his Florida home.
He avoided facing federal charges that would have seen him face life in prison, thanks to a controversial deal he struck with prosecutors that saw him jail for just under 13 months.
He was arrested again in July 2019 in New York and charged with smuggling dozens of teenagers and engaging in sexual acts with them in exchange for money.
Prosecutors said he worked with staff and assistants to ensure a "steady supply of underage victims to be violated."
Epstein maintained his innocence of the charges against him. On 10 August 2019, while in detention awaiting trial, authorities reported that he was found dead in his cell after hanging himself.
Another case against Epstein's girlfriend, Guillaine Maxwell, who was jailed in 2022 for helping him abuse girls, highlighted details of Epstein's relationships with high-profile figures such as Britain's Prince Andrew and former US President Bill Clinton, who denied doing anything wrong.
What is the reason for conspiracy theories?
Some believe the authorities are hiding details about Epstein's case to protect wealthy and influential elite figures associated with him, including Trump.
These ideas have overshadowed Trump's "Make America Great" (Maga) movement, but there have been calls for more transparency from various political parties.
One of the main theories centers on a list of supposed customers rumored to be figures who committed sexual assault alongside Epstein. The Trump administration, for its part, has stressed that there is no such list.
Some also cite suspicious circumstances of Epstein's death, including the apparent failure of surveillance cameras in the vicinity of his cell on the night of his death, as well as other things they consider suspicious.
Trump and the Epstein case
Trump, who was a New York real estate mogul before entering politics, has interacted with Epstein. When running again for president, he said he would "probably" publish files related to the case.
But since taking office, many Trump supporters have been disappointed with what they see as a failure to deliver on his promise.
The president found himself a victim of conspiracy theories after his former adviser Elon Musk claimed in June (in a now-deleted X post) that Trump's name appeared in the "Epstein files."
The Trump administration's efforts to respond to demands for full disclosure of the "Epstein files" have not met expectations, as a package of documents released in February pledging to shed light on Epstein's case did not contain much new information.
Many were unconvinced by a nearly 11-hour video released this month to dispel theories that Epstein had been killed.
The camera angle showed part of the New York jail on the night of Epstein's death, but there appeared to be a minute missing from the recording, prompting further speculation online.
A memo from the Justice Department and the FBI last week that indicated that Epstein's files contained no evidence to warrant further investigations was met with calls for the FBI director and attorney general to resign.
What's next?
Trump is very cautiously handling the issue, saying he supports the publication of any "reliable" files linked to Epstein while calling the case "boring."
But the president is struggling to curb the controversy at a time when his opponents and even his most prominent allies are calling for more transparency.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has not followed Trump's policy on the matter and urged the Justice Department to make any documents linked to Epstein public.
Democrats, meanwhile, have exploited the gap between Trump and his party by demanding that his administration release the full evidence held by prosecutors in their case against Epstein.