The Epstein Files and the Beginning of the GOP Crack-Up

When even Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, and Speaker Mike Johnson are furious at Trump, something seismic is shifting.

The Epstein Files and the Beginning of the GOP Crack-Up

When even Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, and Speaker Mike Johnson are furious at Trump, something seismic is shifting.

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #427

There’s a storm brewing in the Republican Party…and this time…it’s not coming from the Democrats.

It’s coming from inside the house.

Trump’s refusal to release the Epstein files—those long-rumored documents supposedly containing names…evidence…and unspeakable details about the most powerful predators in the world—has sent shockwaves through the GOP base.

But more importantly…it has opened up a rift that the party may not be able to seal in time for the midterms.

It was supposed to be a slam dunk.

For years, Trump built his brand on draining the swamp…taking down elites…and blowing the whistle on dark secrets. Epstein…convicted sex trafficker…billionaire financier…and alleged puppet master of the global elite…was the perfect enemy.

But now, when Trump has the chance to shine a light on that darkness…he’s… backing away?

Worse…he’s attacking Republican voters…and those who demand accountability.

Joe Rogan’s angry. Tucker Carlson is calling it out. Even elected Republicans are starting to mumble their discontent.

And Trump? He’s lashing out at his own base, calling them “stupid,” “bad people,” and “dummies” for daring to question him.

This is no small moment. This is a stress fracture at the base of the Republican Party’s spine. And stress fractures…if ignored…become breaks.

What’s Really Going On?

Let’s strip this down. The GOP coalition is a fragile one…built on overlapping interests that don’t always agree:

• Traditional conservatives

• Libertarian anti-government types

• Evangelicals and Christian nationalists

• Conspiracy-fueled populists

• Economic nationalists

• The MAGA cult of personality

For nearly a decade…Trump held these groups together by providing a singular target of rage—the Left…the media…the globalists…the bureaucrats.

His secret? He always appeared to be on the outside of the club, throwing punches from the fringe.

Now he looks like a bouncer at the club’s front door.

By refusing to release the Epstein files—files that so many believe hold the key to unraveling the elite pedophile protection racket—Trump is aligning himself with the elites.

It’s the ultimate betrayal to a base that worships him because they thought he was immune to elite influence.

And when you mix betrayal with humiliation? You get rage.

The Influencer Revolt

Joe Rogan—an icon to millions of independent-minded voters and young men—recently went off on Trump…calling his refusal to release the Epstein files "bullshit."

Tucker Carlson—formerly Fox’s biggest star—has made repeated jabs at Trump’s decision…pointing out the hypocrisy and warning of consequences.

Other names like Glenn Beck, Megyn Kelly, and even some Fox News contributors are quietly hinting that something smells foul. Social media is ablaze with once-loyal Trump fans posting things like:

“I thought he was going to drain the swamp. Instead, he’s covering for the swamp.”

“If he’s not releasing those files, maybe he’s on the list.”

Trump’s response? Classic narcissistic counterpunch:

“Only stupid people want those files released.”

“They don’t understand how the world works.”

“Bad people. Dumb people. You don’t get it.”

He’s mocking his own believers. It’s like a preacher insulting the congregation for asking what happened to the donation money.

Three Paths Forward — and All of Them Are Dangerous for Trump

1. Controlled Burn (Most Likely)

Trump weathers the storm…but not without casualties.

The GOP avoids a full split…but the anger simmers. Some candidates lose primaries or general elections by narrow margins due to anti-Trump right-wingers staying home or voting third party. Rogan…Carlson…and others keep hammering…slowly shaving off support.

Trump doesn’t release the files. He doubles down. And the party limps into the 2026 election cycle slightly more fractured.

Trump still wins primaries…but with narrower margins. He becomes more beatable.

2. The GOP Cracks Open (Real Danger Zone)

The fury deepens.

Conservative influencers begin actively recruiting voters to break from Trump. Congressional Republicans—tired of being dragged through scandal after scandal—begin exploring ways to weaken Trump’s grip.

A new leader begins to emerge. Maybe it’s DeSantis making a comeback. Maybe it’s JD Vance or a new populist outsider who does promise to release the Epstein files.

Trump’s base fractures.

The result? Midterms become a bloodbath. The GOP is torn between Trump loyalists and post-Trump revivalists. Democrats gain ground. Control of the House or Senate flips.

3. Trump Melts Down (Less Likely, but Explosive)

Trump takes the betrayal personally.

He launches scorched-earth attacks…not just on the Left…but on his own people. He starts naming names. Trashes Rogan. Accuses Tucker of being a sellout. Dares GOP officials to oppose him.

Rumors swirl that Trump himself is implicated in the files…or at the very least…is protecting someone who is. (Yes, those rumors already exist. This, however, would be on an entirely different level.)

The media goes nuclear. Independent journalists start digging. State attorneys general make moves. Something leaks.

And then? All hell breaks loose.

Trump may survive legally…but politically…the fracture is permanent. His support craters below 60% among GOP voters. A rival rises from the ashes.

What’s At Stake Before the Midterms?

Trump’s refusal to release the Epstein files has done what no Democratic attack ever could:

It’s made his own voters wonder what he’s hiding.

And that question is like an acid…it corrodes loyalty…trust…and unity. Voters who once believed he was the last hope for truth now fear he’s just another gatekeeper.

The problem? That feeling spreads fast. Especially in a party whose base lives online.

If this story keeps gaining traction, it will:

• Depress turnout in swing districts.

• Embolden third-party candidates.

• Force GOP lawmakers to choose sides.

• Embarrass Trump-endorsed candidates.

• Drive more women and suburban voters away.

The Elephant in the Room: What If He’s on the List?

It’s the question no one in the GOP wants to say out loud…but are.

“What if he’s protecting someone?”

“What if he’s on the list?”

“What if that’s why the files aren’t being released?”

Whether or not it’s true almost doesn’t matter.

The suspicion alone is deadly.

Especially to a movement built on the idea that everyone else is the problem.

What Democrats Should—and Shouldn’t—Do

The temptation will be to mock…gloat…and go for the jugular.

Don’t.

Instead:

• Keep the focus on transparency and justice.

• Demand the files be released—no matter who they implicate.

• Elevate the voices of former Trump allies now turning on him.

• Let the GOP tear itself apart on principle…not politics.

Don’t make it partisan. Make it moral.

The Epstein files aren’t about left or right. They’re about right and wrong.

And Trump chose wrong.

Watch These Pressure Points

• Polling: If Trump dips below 70% with GOP voters…he’s in danger. Below 60%? BAD for him. Very bad.

• Rogan/Carlson: If they stay on this beat…Trump is in trouble.

• Leaks: If any portion of the Epstein files go public…from a state AG…a court filing…or a whistleblower…it could detonate everything.

• Donors: If they start pulling funding…the GOP will get serious fast.

• Congressional whispers: If a few Senators or Representatives say the quiet part out loud…like suggesting that maybe Trump is implicated by the Epstein files…it becomes open season.

Final Thought: The Power of Betrayal

Trump has survived impeachments…indictments…bankruptcies…and scandals.

But betrayal cuts deeper than law.

The Epstein files aren’t just paperwork. They’re sacred texts to the populist movement. They represent the promise that finally…someone would expose the darkest truths of the powerful.

By refusing to release them…Trump has shattered that promise.

And when prophets break their own prophecies…the believers revolt.

This may be the moment it all begins to crack.

The GOP fracture isn’t guaranteed.

But the hammer is swinging.

And Trump’s holding the chisel.

Who are some of the bigger names in the Republican sphere who are causing ripples for Trump?

Republican Politicians

Speaker Mike Johnson (R‑LA)

• In an interview with podcaster Benny Johnson:

“It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it. … She [Bondi] needs to come forward and explain that to everybody.” Fox News+14The Guardian+14The Washington Post+14

Sen. Mike Lee (R‑UT)

• Via X (formerly Twitter):

“If Jeffrey Epstein had over 1,000 victims… I don’t understand why more info isn’t being released and am trying to get answers.” The Independent
He demanded clarification and greater transparency into the case.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑KY)

• Per multiple reports:
  Joined Rep. Ro Khanna (D‑CA) in sponsoring a discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files.Wikipedia+15The Washington Post+15Wikipedia+15ABC News+15Wall Street Journal+15Wikipedia+15

Influential Republicans & Conservative Voices

Dan Bongino (Deputy FBI Director and former conservative podcaster)

• According to The Independent:
  Threatened to resign unless Attorney General Pam Bondi was fired or the Epstein files were released. He and FBI Director Kash Patel publicly pushed for the release of more records. The Guardian+9The Independent+9Wikipedia+9

Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley

• In a Politico segment:

“This is why people don’t trust government,” she said, urging release with only victim names redacted.Omni+15Politico+15The Washington Post+15

Laura Loomer

• Per AP/WaPo reports and Independent:
  Called on Bondi to resign, urged appointment of a special counsel to investigate concealment of Epstein records.ElHuffPost+15AP News+15NBC10 Philadelphia+15

Charlie Kirk

• After speaking with Trump:
  Stated he would stop talking about Epstein “only after the files are released,” implying public pressure should continue. NBC10 Philadelphia+1The Washington Post+1

Observations:

• Speaker Mike Johnson is the highest-ranking GOP official publicly demanding full transparency.

• Bipartisan pressure in Congress via Rep. Massie indicates growing concern among moderates and conservatives.

• High-profile influencers like Dan Bongino…Nikki Haley…Laura Loomer…and Charlie Kirk are fueling grassroots and media-level pressure.

• This collective vocal demand…spanning lawmakers and grassroots figures…creates sustained public pressure on Trump and the DOJ.

And that’s the raw nerve Trump just exposed.

For years, his followers believed he was the one man willing to tear the mask off the powerful…to drag their secrets into the daylight…no matter the cost.

But by refusing to release the Epstein files…he isn’t just shielding monsters. He’s violating the very deal he made with his base.

And when that trust is broken — not by his enemies, but by himself — it doesn’t just crack his image. It cracks the movement.

Because deep down…people can forgive a lot in politics. But they don’t forgive betrayal. Especially when it involves children. Especially when it reeks of cover-up. Especially when it starts to look like the elites… protected their own.

So this is the moment of reckoning.

Not just for Trump. For the Republican Party. For every voice that once roared for truth and now stays silent. For every influencer and lawmaker who built a brand on “protecting the children” and now looks the other way.

The crowd is watching. The base is restless. And the illusion of loyalty is thinning by the hour.

If the Epstein files don’t come out soon…and fully…the political cost won’t just be a few angry podcasts or lost votes. It could be the unmaking of a man… and the unraveling of a movement that once promised to burn corruption to the ground.

That’s it for now. I’ll be back soon…with even more.

Rock the day!

-Jack

P.S. If you're still here, you're the kind of person I write the paid stuff for. Come on in.