US President Donald Trump on Friday angrily criticized fellow Republicans who have joined Democrats in highlighting his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, labeling them “weak” and “foolish” for promoting what he called a politically motivated attack.

“Some Weak Republicans have fallen into their [Democrats’] clutches because they are soft and foolish. Epstein was a Democrat, and he is the Democrat’s problem, not the Republican’s problem!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president instead urged Democrats to scrutinize former President Bill Clinton, venture capitalist Reid Hoffman, and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers over their own relationships with Epstein. “They know all about him, don’t waste your time with Trump. I have a Country to run!” he added.

The backlash comes after Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight released a collection of Epstein’s personal communications, alleging Trump “knew about the girls” and was present with one of them at Epstein’s residence. The documents fueled renewed inquiries into Trump’s long-standing relationship with the disgraced financier.

'Fake narrative' to damage Trump

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of selectively leaking emails to liberal media outlets to construct a “fake narrative” aimed at damaging the president as he pursues a second term.

Epstein, charged in 2019 with sex trafficking minors and conspiracy, was accused of abusing dozens of underage girls between 2002 and 2005. He died later that year in a Manhattan jail, a death ruled as suicide, after being denied bail.

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Interest in Epstein’s network of powerful contacts has surged again amid public frustration over the Trump administration’s failure to release promised documents. Critics, including some within Trump’s base, have questioned the credibility of a joint FBI-Justice Department statement asserting that Epstein did not engage in blackmail and maintained no “client list,” further stoking suspicion and political infighting in Washington.

Dems say Trump knew about Epstein

Damning new emails released by the House Oversight Committee suggest that US President Donald Trump was aware of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s activities, including the trafficking of underage girls.

Among the messages, one from Epstein stated that “of course [Trump] knew about the girls” procured for his sex-trafficking ring. Another said that Trump “spent hours” with one of the victims at Epstein’s home.

The release of these communications by Democrats on the committee has intensified calls for full disclosure of the so-called “Epstein Files", a collection of documents said to detail the scandal that continues to shadow Trump’s presidency.

Inside Epstein’s messages

In one email from April 2011, Epstein wrote to Ghislaine Maxwell: “That dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. [victim’s name redacted] spent hours at my house with him, he has never once been mentioned.”

Maxwell replied, “I have been thinking about that.”

Another message to author Michael Wolff in 2019 claimed Trump had asked Epstein to resign from Mar-a-Lago, adding, “of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”

A third message from 2015 showed Epstein soliciting Wolff’s advice on crafting a media response for Trump: “If we were able to craft an answer for him, what do you think it should be?”

Wolff replied, “I think you should let him hang himself.”