Political Strategy Around Epstein Case

Political strategist Mark Penn remarked on Friday that the Democrats’ interest in Jeffrey Epstein’s case appears to be a strategic move aimed at shifting public attention away from the economic achievements of President Donald Trump.

House Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries stated on Monday that the push for more Epstein-related documents is politically driven, especially since there was no similar demand for transparency during former President Joe Biden’s time in office. During an appearance on “Special Report with Brett Baier,” Penn suggested that while many Democrats may not be deeply invested in the specifics of Epstein’s connections, they recognize the potential political benefits of keeping the issue relevant.

“I think there are those who have doubts about what’s really behind these events. Why were these documents withheld? Is there something being concealed? The administration seems to think it’s unavoidable,” Penn shared with host Brett Baier. “Democrats may have some leverage here. They don’t truly care about the files, but they want the focus to be on them.”

Penn argued that Democrats are intentionally directing conversations toward the Epstein Files, even as positive signs emerge in the economy, such as stock market gains, job growth, and a reduction in inflation.

“They prefer not to let the administration highlight the improving economic situation. The stock market is on the upswing, employment rates look good, and inflation is coming down. They really don’t want that narrative out there,” he said.

In June 2025, the US Stock Market saw the S&P 500 increase by almost 5%, contributing to a yearly profit rise of 5.5%. The labor market remains robust, with unemployment holding steady at around 4.1%.

May also saw inflation rise at a rate slower than anticipated, marking its lowest growth in four years, as both consumer and producer price indexes increased by just 0.1%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In June, the US economy exceeded forecasts by adding 147,000 non-farm payroll jobs, significantly higher than the predicted 106,000.

Despite the economic progress under Trump, the Democrats seem persistent in their focus on the Epstein Files. Throughout Biden’s presidency, they largely disregarded transparency requests and struggled to track the processing of Epstein-related documents, even dismissing speculation surrounding Epstein’s death as a conspiracy theory back in 2019.