The hosts of Fox & Friends issued a blunt warning to President Donald Trump on Sunday, urging him to confront growing outrage from his MAGA base over the Justice Department’s findings in the Jeffrey Epstein case — findings that have triggered a political firestorm within the movement.
A recently leaked memo from the DOJ and FBI revealed that Epstein, the disgraced financier accused of sex trafficking, died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial and that no “client list” of wealthy co-conspirators exists — contradicting years of speculation and fueling a new wave of anger among Trump’s most fervent supporters.
“This is a ticking time bomb,” warned co-host Kevin Corke. “And the president could defuse it — but only if he gets out there and faces the fire.”
Corke emphasized that Trump and his administration need to be transparent with the public. “It doesn’t have to be a long statement,” he said. “But you need to answer questions. Because if you don’t, this story won’t die — and that’s a distraction the president cannot afford.”
MAGA’s Frustration Boils Over
The DOJ’s conclusion has upended the expectations of many within the MAGA movement, especially after Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly claimed in February that the much-rumored “Epstein list” was “sitting on her desk” awaiting review. That claim — now refuted by the DOJ — became a rallying cry for conspiracy theorists who believed a major disclosure was imminent.
Bondi is now under intense pressure, with calls for her resignation flooding right-wing media. Her clash with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino at the White House earlier this week only deepened the crisis. According to reports, Bongino criticized Bondi for misleading the public and has since threatened to resign. He was notably absent from work on Friday.
President Trump, who had promised during his campaign to expose the full extent of Epstein’s criminal network, has grown increasingly agitated as the controversy continues to dominate headlines.
“Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy’s been talked about for years!” Trump said during a televised cabinet meeting on Tuesday. “Are people still talking about this creep? That’s unbelievable.”
Still, in a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump appeared rattled by the infighting, lashing out at supporters attacking Bondi: “We’re on one team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening.”
Fox Hosts: “This Won’t Go Away”
On Fox News, the skepticism among conservative commentators was palpable. Host Charles Hurt challenged the administration’s handling of the situation, saying the lack of clarity is fueling the backlash.
“If there’s anybody who could walk in and say, ‘We’ve resolved all the questions and there’s nothing there,’ it would be President Trump and his team,” Hurt said. “The problem is, they haven’t done that. There needs to be an explanation — and right now, people have very valid questions.”
Even as Trump attempts to refocus the narrative, the Epstein saga remains a thorn in the side of an administration trying to unify its base ahead of the 2024 election. With MAGA divided and the conspiracy mill churning, Trump’s allies on Fox are making one thing clear: silence is no longer an option.
“Get in front of this,” Corke reiterated. “Because if you don’t, it’s going to get away from you.”