118: The Performative Spectacle of the Epstein Files

Nothing captivates the public quite like a scandal that never resolves. The recent release of the so-called Epstein files is not a revelation, nor an act of transparency, but a carefully constructed performance. What should have been an explosive moment of reckoning has instead been transformed into an elaborate exercise in political spectacle—one designed not to illuminate but to distract.

On February 27, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi, under the Trump administration, oversaw the partial release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. This included over 100 pages from Epstein’s infamous address book—heavily redacted and largely containing information already known to the public. The response was swift and predictable: disappointment from those expecting real accountability, and outrage from those who saw through the performative nature of the release.

Yet, the disappointment itself was an integral part of the script. Conservative social media influencers were given early access to the files, a strategic move to shape the narrative before traditional media could. Their reaction? Frustration. They had expected bombshells but were instead handed a lukewarm set of files that changed nothing.

Theatrics as a Mechanism of Power

The Epstein case represents one of the clearest examples of elite impunity in modern times. Names have surfaced—Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and yes, Donald Trump—but the conversation has been kept deliberately ambiguous, forever lingering on the edge of revelation without crossing into true accountability. This is not incompetence; it is a deliberate function of power. By perpetually teasing disclosure, the administration maintains control over the spectacle.

Distraction is a vital tool of governance, particularly for a regime that thrives on controlling the narratives of its followers. The release of the Epstein files does not serve justice—it serves the political strategy of keeping supporters engaged in a perpetual cycle of anticipation and betrayal. Instead of questioning the administration’s broader agenda—its consolidation of power, its economic failures, or its dismantling of democratic norms—supporters remain fixated on the next possible revelation, the next drip-feed of secrets that never quite materialize.

Hypocrisy and the Wormhole of Speculation

The true brilliance of this strategy lies in its hypocrisy. Trump and his allies have long framed themselves as warriors against the “deep state,” crusaders for truth against a corrupt elite. Yet here they are, controlling access to one of the most damning troves of elite corruption in modern history, and doing so in a way that ensures the spectacle never ends. Every half-truth released, every redacted document, every promise of future disclosures serves not to inform, but to keep the audience engaged in an endless game.

Pam Bondi has since demanded more files from the FBI, hinting at a deeper conspiracy. Whether or not those documents ever see the light of day is secondary to their purpose in this performance. The regime does not want closure. It wants speculation, it wants engagement, and most of all, it wants control over where its supporters focus their outrage.

The Epstein scandal will not go away, but it will also never truly resolve. The Trump administration—and any administration that follows in this model—thrives not on answers, but on the perpetual promise of them. It is a magician’s trick: the hand that waves wildly in front of your face while the real work happens behind the curtain.

The goal of this spectacle is not to expose truth, but to maintain control over the narrative, to keep supporters locked into an endless cycle of waiting for justice that will never come. The real question is: how long will they continue to play the game?