COLUMN: Russia Doesn’t Care About Trump, and the Epstein Cases Are Making a Big Splash

A Vigorous but Controversial Defense

When asked to clarify the latest allegations, both the White House and the Department of Justice pointed to a sentence in a press release accompanying the new batch of files. The U.S. Department of Justice stated that certain documents contain baseless and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI just before the 2020 election. To be clear, the allegations are baseless and false, and if they had even a shred of credibility, they would have already been used as ammunition against President Trump. Trump himself stated that he had not seen the documents personally but had been told by very influential people that not only did they exonerate him, but that they proved the opposite of what people—particularly the radical left—had hoped for.

There is something deeply disturbing about this blanket rejection of anything that might call into question the image of presidential inviolability. It’s as if we were being told: trust the official line; ignore the rest. But how can we ignore this mass of testimonies, this accumulation of accounts which, even if not all verified, paint a disturbingly coherent picture? I feel a simmering anger at this arrogance of power, this conviction that certain people are above any scrutiny or questioning.

The Russian media are having a field day

Russian media have highlighted the enormous pressure U.S. President Donald Trump is facing following last week’s release of millions of documents from the Epstein files. The president is mentioned numerous times in the files, although he later claimed that the release exonerated him of any wrongdoing. Commenting on the latest release, Russian state-controlled media appear to be relishing the negative headlines that the Epstein case saga has caused for the Trump administration. The newspaper Vedomosti stated that the scandal surrounding the latest release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case continues to shock American society. The daily added that U.S. President Donald Trump, who is mentioned in these documents, will do everything he can to divert attention from this fact, which could lead to abrupt decisions.

This biting irony from Russia—this obvious delight in seeing America tear itself apart under the weight of its own secrets—leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. It’s as if we’re witnessing a clash of titans, with each side seeking to destabilize the other using the ammunition provided by the opponent’s scandals. Russia, which is certainly no model of democratic transparency, points out the flaws in the American system with an almost perverse delight. I am torn between indignation at this political manipulation and a certain fascination with this dance of death, where hidden truths become ammunition in the information war.

The FBI Under Fire

The list compiled by the FBI includes numerous allegations of sexual abuse against Trump, Epstein, and other high-profile figures, but these allegations appear to be based on unverified tips received by the agency. The documents suggest that many of the allegations were made without supporting evidence, raised by callers to the Threat Operations Center’s national hotline. The Department of Justice has explicitly labeled these claims as baseless and false, emphasizing that they would have already been used against Trump if they had even a shred of credibility. However, the very publication of these documents, containing such serious allegations, continues to raise questions about the FBI’s procedures and how this information was collected and handled.

What sends a chill down my spine is the ease with which such serious allegations can circulate, be documented, and then be dismissed as baseless. It’s as if people’s lives and reputations could be manipulated at will in a sort of political game with no real consequences. I think of all those real victims—those whose testimonies have been drowned out by this background noise, whose suffering has been minimized by this avalanche of unverified allegations. There is something profoundly immoral about this exploitation of others’ pain for political or media purposes.

A list of prestigious and compromising names

The documents also include emails between Epstein and high-profile figures. Many of the emails and documents date back more than a decade, shedding light on Epstein’s relationships as he faced legal troubles. He was convicted in Florida in 2008 of soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl after reaching a controversial plea deal with prosecutors. He died in August 2019 while in prison, facing charges in a massive sex trafficking case. The files also mention Richard Branson, the British founder of the Virgin Group, hundreds of times. In a 2013 email exchange, Branson appears to tell Epstein that it was really nice to see him, adding that he’d love to see him again when he’s in the area—as long as he brings his harem.

When I read these names—these public figures who until now were seen as paragons of success, power, and influence—I am overcome with a sense of disorientation. How could so many people—so intelligent, so well-connected—have associated with Epstein without seeing, without knowing, or worse, by choosing to turn a blind eye? This normalization of associating with a man already convicted of heinous crimes leaves me speechless. It’s as if the global elite lived in a bubble where the moral rules that apply to ordinary people don’t seem to apply, where associating with an alleged pedophile could be justified by business opportunities or social engagements.

The British Royal Family Under Fire

The documents reveal troubling details about the disgraced financier’s close ties to the British elite. They include emails between Epstein and a person named “Le Duc,” believed to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, discussing a dinner at Buckingham Palace, where there was a great deal of intimacy. Another message from Epstein includes an offer to introduce Le Duc to a 26-year-old Russian woman. The emails are signed “A,” with a signature that appears to read “HRH Duke of York KG.” They were exchanged in August 2010, two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor. The files also include a photo that appears to show the former prince on all fours over a woman lying on the floor. The emails contain no indication of improper behavior.

At that point, frankly, I had to stop and catch my breath. Seeing these royal names—these symbols of the British monarchy—associated with such murky exchanges breaks my heart. This isn’t just a matter of politics or scandal; it’s a matter of values, of what we tolerate from those we elevate to the status of icons. How can one claim to embody dignity, grandeur, and respect for traditions when one associated with a man who represented the very opposite of those values? I feel a deep sense of disappointment, as if a myth I wanted to believe was intact had just been shattered.

Tech Giants in Turmoil

The documents also include email correspondence between Epstein and tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case, has previously stated that Epstein invited him to his island but that he declined. The new emails show that Musk had discussed visiting the island on several occasions, including a proposed trip in 2012, during which he asked Epstein which day or night would feature the wildest party on his island. In another set of emails from late 2013, Musk and Epstein discuss a visit to the financier’s island and work out the logistics and dates. There is no evidence that Musk ultimately made a trip to Epstein’s island. As for Bill Gates, a spokesperson for the Microsoft co-founder responded to the obscene allegations contained in the latest Epstein files, calling them utterly absurd and completely false.

What shocks me is this normalization of language, this trivialization of references to wild parties and behaviors that, in any other context, would be considered inappropriate at best, criminal at worst. Musk, Gates—these men who shape our technological world—seem to have navigated this murky universe with a carefree attitude that defies belief. I wonder about this culture of impunity that seems to surround those who hold power and wealth—this conviction that they can do whatever they want, that moral rules do not apply to them the way they apply to others.

Epstein’s Survivors Demand Justice

Gloria Allred, a women’s rights attorney who has represented many of Epstein’s victims, told the BBC that the names of many survivors were disclosed in the latest publication, including some who had not been publicly identified before. In some cases, their names are crossed out, but they are still legible. In other cases, photos of victims were published—survivors who have never given a public interview or revealed their names publicly. Many of the documents released on Friday include significant redactions. The law stipulates that redactions may only be made to protect victims or information currently under investigation. The Department of Justice stated that it is working around the clock to address any concerns raised by victims regarding additional redactions of personally identifiable information.

This is where I feel the anger rising in my throat the most. Amid all this media circus, this war of words and accusations, the real victims—those who have suffered and continue to suffer—seem to have been pushed to the sidelines. Their names, their faces, their stories are being used as pawns in a political game that has nothing to do with them. I think of these women, these girls, who may have hoped that the release of these documents would bring them justice, but who instead find themselves exposed, vulnerable, sacrificed on the altar of transparency at any cost.

A crisis that extends beyond U.S. borders

Russian media outlets have pointed out with obvious satisfaction that the release of files on the pedophile businessman Jeffrey Epstein also tarnishes the Trump administration, regardless of his team’s attempts to the contrary. Another Russian publication asserted that no matter how hard Trump’s team tries, the release of the pedophile billionaire’s files also tarnishes his administration. It is unclear whether this marks the end of the road for the saga surrounding the release of the Epstein documents. The DOJ emphasized that Friday’s release marks the end of a very thorough process of identifying and reviewing the documents, indicating that, as far as the U.S. Department of Justice is concerned, its work is done. However, many questions remain unanswered regarding the documents that were not released and the reasons for their non-release.

When I look at this situation as a whole, I am overcome by a sense of resignation mixed with cold anger. Russia is mocking Trump, America is tearing itself apart, the victims continue to suffer, and those truly responsible still seem as elusive as ever. This is not just an American scandal; it is a global moral crisis, an exposure of the systems that protect the powerful and sacrifice the weak. I remain hopeful, despite everything, that this harsh light shone on the shadows will eventually reveal what must be revealed, that justice will be served, and that the true culprits will ultimately be held accountable for their actions. But today, I’m left with a bitter taste in my mouth, a conviction that we are far from seeing the end of this story.

Signed, Jacques Provost