Nearly two-thirds of Americans, including more than half of Republicans, believe the Trump administration is hiding information about the death of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Friday found.
An online poll of 4,434 U.S. adults conducted Dec. 3–8 found that 62% of respondents believe the government is hiding information about Epstein’s death.
That view was shared by 56% of Republicans, the survey showed.
Epstein died in August 2019 while in federal custody, where he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Most, 70%, said the government is hiding information about people who took part in Epstein's trafficking of teenage girls, including 62% of Republicans.
Investigative files related to Epstein have become a flashpoint for President Donald Trump's base, sparking criticism within the MAGA movement over what supporters view as a lack of transparency by the administration.
Bipartisan legislation requiring the Justice Department to release files related to its investigations into Epstein cleared both houses of Congress last month and was signed by Trump on Nov. 19.
The law gives the DOJ 30 days to release its Epstein-related records.
Since the law's passage, the DOJ has asked federal courts to unseal records long shielded by grand jury secrecy rules, citing the new statutory mandate.
Judges in Florida and New York have ordered the release of grand jury transcripts and related investigative materials, and the DOJ is expected to make additional disclosures by Dec. 19, though some records might be partially redacted under the law's privacy protections.
The poll showed that disapproval among Trump's base over his administration's handling of the files has declined, even as skepticism of the federal government remains high.
Fewer than a quarter (23%) said they approved of Trump's handling of the scandal. More than half (53%) of Republicans approved, up from 44% last month.
Trump's overall approval rating among Republicans stands at 85%.
Only 18% of respondents said they believe Trump was unaware of Epstein's crimes during their past association, including 34% of Republicans.
Trump has maintained he had no knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities and has said he cut ties with Epstein before he pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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