Poll: Few think Trump delivered justice in Epstein cases
U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, d-Calif., speaks, next to U.S. rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., during a field hearing by the democrats on the House Oversight Committee, as part of their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, May 12 in West Palm Beach, Fla.
WASHINGTON — Few Americans, including just 21% of Republicans, think President Donald Trump's administration helped deliver justice in cases connected to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.The results of the sixday poll, which closed Monday, come as congressional investigators continue to probe the alleged crimes of Epstein, who served time in prison after pleading guilty in 2008 on prostitution charges including soliciting an underage girl. Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019.
Just 10% of respondents in the Reuters/Ipsos poll said the Trump administration helped efforts to hold people connected to Epstein accountable. Only one in five respondents said the alleged clients of Epstein were held accountable.
Some of Epstein's victims claimed that rich and powerful people were protected in official investigations.
The Trump administration fanned speculation with the release in January of millions of Justice Department investigation files that named or featured photographs of dozens of powerful people in business and government, including Trump himself.
Several corporate executives have stepped down this year after appearing in the files, but none was charged with crimes.
Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft, was one of those individuals and sat for a closed-door interview with congressional investigators on Wednesday.
During the hearing, Gates accused Epstein of trying to blackmail him over Gates' extramarital affairs.
The files released this year indicated that Gates and Epstein met repeatedly after Epstein pleaded guilty to the prostitution charges to discuss expanding Gates' philanthropic efforts. A spokesperson for Gates' philanthropy said in February the billionaire "took responsibility for his actions" over ties to Epstein in a town hall meeting with employees.
The Epstein scandal has proven a persistent political headache for Trump, who long fanned the flames of suspicions around Epstein and has been dogged by criticism that his administration was failing to fully disclose all that the U.S. government knew about the case.
Some 84% of respondents in the latest Reuters/ Ipsos poll — including similar shares of Republicans, Democrats and independents — said the Epstein files showed that powerful people in America are rarely held accountable.
Three-quarters of the country think the federal government was probably still hiding information about Epstein's alleged clients.
Crime-courts
Spotlight
US authorities investigate '8647' marking on National Mall in Washington
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of the Interior said on Thursday it is investigating what appeared to be a large tracing of "8647" into the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
A Reuters photographer atop the Washington Monument saw the apparent marking in the grass near the World War II Memorial shortly before authorities arrived at the scene. It shows the numbers eight, six and seven, but a four is not clearly defined.
The number "8647" appears traced Thursday onto the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Park Police and members of the National Guard responded to the scene.
The number "8647" was adopted by opponents of President Donald Trump as a protest against his administration. Trump allies and the U.S. Department of Justice said it could be interpreted as a call to violence.
It references the slang term "86," originating in the restaurant industry, meaning to expel or get rid of something, and Trump as the 47th U.S. president.
An Interior Department spokesperson referred to the incident as "deranged vandalism."
"Any threat against the president is taken very seriously by the Department, and our U.S. Park Police will investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Authorities work Thursday near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after they responded to what appeared to be a large tracing of the numbers "8647" on the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
It was unclear how the markings in the grass were made. In areas, the grass turned brown to form the shape of numbers in contrast to the surrounding green.
The U.S. Park Police said the cause of the "discoloration" has not yet been determined. A spokesperson said grass samples have been collected for testing and an investigation is ongoing.
The White House referred questions about the incident to the Department of the Interior.
The incident comes as the National Mall is set to be the scene for events celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in coming weeks. Trump devoted personal attention to refurbishing the space, including painting the Reflecting Pool near the Lincoln Memorial. A 16-day "Great American State Fair" is set to take place on the National Mall beginning June 25.
Authorities respond Thursday to what appeared to be a large tracing of "8647" on the grounds of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
The term "8647" is at the center of at least one high-profile criminal case. Federal prosecutors charged former FBI Director James Comey with threatening Trump based on a photo he posted on social media in 2025 showing seashells on a beach arranged to form the numbers "8647."
Comey took down the post and said he was not aware it could be interpreted as a call to violence. He vowed to fight the charges, including on free speech grounds.
A federal judge ruled this month that the National Park Service could not prevent an anti-Trump protest group from displaying an "8647" flag near the National Mall.
Related
News
A deleted photo of seashells and numbers are back in the spotlight as former FBI Director James Comey is indicted for a second time.
