Trump is under renewed scrutiny over his long-documented ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and critics say he’s now scrambling to shift the national conversation. In a flurry of public threats and legal posturing, Trump is attempting to redirect attention, especially for his base, who are calling for the Epstein ‘list’ to be released.
Trump is reportedly threatening to derail a proposed stadium deal for the Washington Commanders unless the NFL team changes its name back to the controversial “Redskins” moniker. The team retired the name in 2020 after years of protest from Native American groups and civil rights activists. The new ownership, led by Josh Harris, has been seeking support from lawmakers and business leaders to secure funding for a new stadium complex in the D.C. area. But Trump, speaking at a recent rally in Virginia, blasted the rebranding as “woke garbage” and said, “No Redskins, no stadium.”
The stadium threat comes amid heightened media coverage of Trump’s past connections to Epstein, who was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges before dying in jail. Trump was photographed multiple times with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s and has faced questions about their relationship for years. A recent Wall Street Journal report revisited those ties, citing unnamed sources who allege Trump had deeper involvement with Epstein’s social circle than he has publicly acknowledged.
In response, Trump lashed out on his Truth Social platform, calling the Journal’s reporting “fake news garbage” and threatening to file a defamation lawsuit against the publication. “They are liars and they will be sued,” he wrote in all caps. Legal experts say a lawsuit would likely face significant hurdles given Trump’s public figure status and the First Amendment protections afforded to the press.
Meanwhile, advocates for Epstein’s victims say Trump’s aggressive tactics are a transparent effort to distract from serious and unanswered questions. “He’s playing from the same old playbook: stir up outrage, attack the media, create a circus,” said Lisa Bloom, an attorney who has represented several women tied to the Epstein case. “But the facts aren’t going away.”
The resurfacing of Epstein-related headlines also coincides with Trump’s ongoing legal battles, including several criminal indictments and civil cases stemming from his business practices and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. But it’s the Epstein allegations—long considered a third rail in elite political circles—that some close to the former president fear could cause lasting reputational damage.
So far, the NFL has not responded to Trump’s threats regarding the Commanders’ stadium deal, and the Wall Street Journal has stood by its reporting. For now, Trump appears determined to amplify his grievances, even if it means reigniting a debate that many Americans, and especially Indigenous communities, hoped was finally settled.