He—the president, their leader, the martyr who had endured scandals and prosecution and an assassin’s bullet on their behalf—had repeatedly told them it was time to move on, and that alone should suffice. Why, he groused, would the White House add fuel to the fire, would it play into the media’s narrative?

Democrats in Congress want to force votes to release the full Jeffrey Epstein files. The party’s candidates are bringing up the Epstein case in campaign speeches. And at least one potential 2028 contender is fundraising off the furor.