The White House says President Donald Trump won’t push for a special prosecutor to probe Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal case, amid growing calls for more transparency on the late sex offender’s files.

Why it matters: This stance risks alienating Trump’s hardline MAGA supporters who demand full disclosure of Epstein’s evidence, while fueling bipartisan frustration over the Justice Department’s limited releases, potentially eroding trust in Trump’s transparency pledges.

Driving the news: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that Trump agrees with congressional leaders that any new credible evidence from Attorney General Pam Bondi and the DOJ should be shared publicly, but he won’t advocate for a special prosecutor.

• Calls for more Epstein files have intensified in Congress, with Laura Loomer and ex-advisor Steve Bannon urging a special counsel to bypass the “overwhelmed” DOJ and FBI.
• Bondi’s July decision against further disclosures has sparked backlash from Trump’s base and Democrats alike.
• The DOJ fired New York prosecutor Maurene Comey on Wednesday, who handled Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s cases; she’s the daughter of Trump’s fired FBI director James Comey.

Catch up quick: Epstein allegedly died by suicide in 2019 shortly after his child sex trafficking arrest, leaving behind a trove of evidence involving high-profile figures like Trump, Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew. Trump, once Epstein’s friend, claims he severed ties years earlier. Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel initially promised transparency, releasing some known records in April, but halted further action.

The intrigue: Trump’s Truth Social rant labeled the Epstein scrutiny a “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” orchestrated by “Radical Left Democrats,” dismissing his own supporters as “PAST” for buying into it, revealing a rare rift with his base.

Between the lines: Despite early vows to “lift the veil” on Epstein’s “disgusting actions,” the administration’s reluctance suggests political calculations to avoid dredging up Trump’s past associations, even as bipartisan lawmakers like Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna push for a House vote on full release.

What they’re saying:

• “Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker,” Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, framing the issue as a Democratic ploy.
• “If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain,” Maurene Comey wrote in an email to colleagues, warning of tyranny and urging resistance to abuses of power. (LOL)
• “The best thing that the president can do is appoint a special counsel to handle the Epstein files investigation,” Laura Loomer, conservative activist, said Wednesday, echoing far-right demands for direct presidential oversight.

The bottom line: Trump’s refusal to back a special prosecutor could deepen divisions within his coalition, but if new evidence emerges, the White House signals it might still go public—though skepticism abounds given the DOJ’s track record.