You know who loves the Epstein scandal? President-in-waiting JD Vance. | Opinion
So is it that hard to believe Vance is watching Trump digging his Epstein hole deeper and deeper and thanking his lucky stars for the president's incompetence and history of loutish behavior?
As the Jeffrey Epstein scandal engulfs President Donald Trump, I suspect a few wealthy right-wing figures are secretly smiling, none more than president-in-waiting JD Vance.
The vice president is nothing if not a slithery opportunist. With stunning expediency, he went from calling Trump an “idiot” and “America’s Hitler” to bear-hugging the MAGA movement, becoming Trump’s running mate and saying of the aforementioned idiot, “I’m proud to stand beside him.”
Vance is an ideological contortionist backed by dodgy tech billionaires like Peter Thiel, Elon Musk and David Sacks, whose money helped elevate him to become Trump’s unlikely vice presidential pick.
If you don't think JD Vance is loving the Epstein scandal, think again
So is it that hard to believe Vance is watching Trump digging his Epstein hole deeper and deeper and thanking his lucky stars for the president’s incompetence and history of loutish behavior? The vice president was already on a magical political ride buoyed by his own lack of principles. Now all he needs to do is sit back and let Trump self-immolate while occasionally furrowing his brow at liberals and feigning support for the president.
Vance certainly behaves like a loyal Trump advocate, but given the heat coming from the Epstein drama, he hasn’t protested much.
He recently defended the president and the Department of Justice’s decision not to release the Epstein files, saying: “We’re not shielding anything. ... Donald J. Trump, I’m telling you, he’s got nothing to hide. His administration has got nothing to hide. And that’s why he’s been an advocate for full transparency in this case.”
That’s not true, obviously. Full transparency would involve releasing the files in a manner that protects Epstein’s victims and exposes anyone who was involved with sex trafficking girls or young women.
Trump's bumbling of the Epstein scandal could open the door for Vance
Instead, I assume, to Vance’s delight, the administration is trying to bury the files. Bloomberg reported on Aug. 1 that Trump’s name was redacted from the files by FBI agents who were previously prepping them for possible public release.
That surely puts a sparkle in Vance’s eye. And in the event more damaging details about Trump’s connection to Epstein come out, the vice president can always say, “Gosh, he told me he had nothing to hide. Who could’ve imagined?”
Vance could even backtrack to his earlier comments about the Epstein case. On Dec. 30, 2021, he posted on X: "What possible interest would the US government have in keeping Epstein’s clients secret?” Curiously, that post hasn’t been deleted.
Vance used to be really concerned about everyone seeing the Epstein files
That same day, Vance wrote of the Epstein files: “If you’re a journalist and you’re not asking questions about this case you should be ashamed of yourself. What purpose do you even serve?”
Now he’s playing the part of the good soldier, but he’s also seeing how the president’s bumbling has pulled Trump himself into the conspiratorial narrative that has long surrounded Epstein and his imprisoned partner-in-sex-trafficking, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Maxwell prison transfer only makes this look more like a cover-up
On Aug. 1, we learned that Maxwell, fresh off a meeting with a Justice Department official who was previously Trump’s personal defense attorney, has been moved from a federal prison in Florida to a lower-security prison camp in Texas.
What’s that all about? Trump hasn’t ruled out a pardon for Maxwell, who’s serving 20 years for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
It seems the previous version of Vance would have said if “you’re not asking questions about this case you should be ashamed of yourself.” It’s as dodgy as the day is long.
But present-day Vance seems to be saying: “Shhhhhhhh. Let’s hang back and see how this plays out.”
MAGA is mad about Epstein files, giving Vance an opportunity
Many MAGA loyalists aren’t happy with Trump’s handling of the Epstein files, and polling shows the public at large wants far more transparency.
Heck, it was Elon Musk, one of the pro-Vance tech billionaires, who first lashed out at Trump over Epstein, claiming on social media that the president is in the files.
Trump built his political career on conspiracies, and now he’s knee-deep in one. So I’m comfortable throwing a not-unreasonable conspiracy onto the fire.
Suggesting Vance wants to be president doesn't seem conspiratorial
Vance was an odd VP pick: inexperienced, from a state – Ohio – Trump didn’t need to worry about, in sync with the MAGA base but repellent to many outside that base. He was hoisted on Trump by rich dudes with the ability to help bankroll Trump’s campaign.
And now those rich dudes are a few stunning Epstein revelations away from potentially seeing their malleable young VP pick take over.
Vance would never make a move on Trump or publicly root against him. But if you don’t think he’d gladly slide into the big boy chair, you haven’t been paying attention.
Trump needs to focus on the massive Epstein scandal burning around him. But if you ask me, he also needs to watch his back.
Follow Paste BN columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk