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By Jordan King
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People's interest in how President Donald Trump's administration has handled the Jeffrey Epstein files does not seem to be going away, with online searches increasing by 1,900 percent over a week.
On July 6, search for Epstein, a convicted child sex offender and was found dead in his jail cell on August 10, 2019, was scored at 5, but a week later, on July 13, it peaked at 100, according to a Newsweek analysis of Google Trends.
The Context
During the week of the spike, the Department of Justice and FBI released a joint memo concluding that Epstein died by suicide, that there was no "incriminating list" of clients and "no credible evidence" that Epstein blackmailed powerful people.
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That has led to unprecedented backlash from Trump's base, with some calling for Attorney General Pam Bondi to be fired.
Trump has called on his supporters to focus on other things and "not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein."
But the surge in online search activity underscores a gap between Trump's attempts to move the conversation away from Epstein and persistent public curiosity and mistrust.
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What To Know
Google Trends data for the United States showed that search interest in "Epstein" was minimal at the beginning of July, scoring 5 out of 100 on July 6. By July 13, search interest reached the maximum score of 100, reflecting a 1,900 percent increase within one week.
The data fluctuated between those days, moving from 5 to 59 between July 6 and July 7 and up to 67 before it dipped slightly to 52 on July 10, then jumped to its peak of 100.
CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten looked at similar figures when he called the current Epstein scandal a "massive unforced error" for the Trump administration.
"So the bottom line is this is a story in which there's a lot of interest and it's one of the few stories in which Steve Bannon and Elon Musk are going after Trump—at least the Trump administration," Enten said.
"He's managed to bring together two parts of the administration, or two parts of a fanbase that have normally been against each other."
Bannon and Musk have spoken out against how the Trump administration has handled the situation.
Bannon warned that Trump could lose seats in the 2026 midterms over it, and Musk, who previously claimed that Trump was named in the files in a now-deleted post, has said Trump should release the files "as promised."
The uptick in search came despite Trump's efforts to steer the conversation away from Epstein just the night before interest peaked.
On Saturday night, Trump posted on Truth Social to defend Bondi and call for people to turn their attention away from Epstein.
He said: "What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it's Epstein, over and over again."
Newsweek analysis shows that the post marked the first time Trump has been "ratioed"—when a social media post receives more replies than likes or shares, often signaling more disagreement or criticism than support—on his own platform.
Similarly, during a Cabinet meeting last week, when a reporter asking Bondi about Epstein, Trump interrupted her response to say: "Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking—we have Texas. We have this. We have all of the things. And are people still talking about this guy, this creep?"
Polls mirrored the heightened public interest. Morning Consult data published July 14 showed that Trump's approval rating dropped from 50 percent to 44 percent over the past month, with disapproval rising to 50 percent. A Napolitan News Service survey showed a one-point decline. Newsweek has reported on the details of the polls.
What People Are Saying
Steve Bannon, War Room podcast host and former Trump adviser: "It's deeper than Epstein. For this to go away, you're going to lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement. If we lose 10 percent of the MAGA movement right now, we're going to lose 40 seats in [2026], we're going to lose the presidency."
Elon Musk, a former Trump ally and ex-head of DOGE, replied to a screen grab of Trump's Trush Social post on X, formerly Twitter: "Seriously. He said 'Epstein' half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised."
FBI and Department of Justice, in a memo: "While we have labored to provide the public with maximum information regarding Epstein and ensured examination of any evidence in the government's possession, it is the determination of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation that no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a statement to The Hill: "President Trump is proud of Attorney General Bondi's efforts to execute his Make America Safe Again agenda, restore the integrity of the Department of Justice, and bring justice to victims of crime. The continued fixation on sowing division in President Trump's Cabinet is baseless and unfounded in reality."
What Happens Next
Despite repeated efforts to mitigate public concern and calls for "unity" within the MAGA movement, the Trump administration continues to face questions from critics and disillusioned supporters. The Google Trends spike suggests sustained media and public focus on the Epstein controversy, increasing pressure on the White House to further address persistent demands for transparency. With the 2026 midterm elections ahead, political observers are watching for further policy shifts, disclosures or leadership changes in response to the outcry.
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