Here’s what to know about the disturbing facts and unsubstantiated suspicions that make Jeffrey Epstein, a registered sex offender, a politically potent obsession.

As MAGA world continues to obsess over the Jeffrey Epstein files, President Donald Trump, who appears to want no part, directed his ire at an unexpected target: his own base.

Trump’s problem is the nothing-to-see-here approach doesn’t work for those who’ve learned from him they must not give up until the government’s secrets are exposed.

For years, President Donald Trump and his Republican allies benefited from conspiracy theories that fueled the conservative MAGA movement and targeted his political enemies.

What happens when irresponsible media personalities hype a conspiracy theory, only to see it unravel before their eyes?

Uscinski noted that Trump and officials in his administration did not do themselves any favors by fanning the flames around Epstein, particularly around Epstein’s death, only to now be told to stop talking about it. But he added that Epstein theories broke beyond partisan lines in ways other conspiracy theories haven’t.

The FBI and DOJ said they do not plan to make future public disclosures related to their review of Epstein's case, stoking outrage among Trump's most vocal supporters.

Next the DOJ will say ‘Actually, Jeffrey Epstein never even existed,'” complained Alex Jones. “This systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” the memo reads. “There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions.

The problem with a conspiracy theory is, of course, the more you talk about it, the more interest people take in it. The whole thing is born of distrust — so who wants to listen to someone telling them there’s nothing to see, even if that someone is Trump himself?