Trump fires Epstein prosecutor Maurene Comey, which sure looks desperate [View all]

Trump fires Epstein prosecutor Maurene Comey, which sure looks desperate
The move shows he has no idea how to bring MAGA to heel

By Amanda Marcotte
Senior Writer
Published July 18, 2025 6:45AM (EDT)


(Salon) We can all see why, despite his many promises at his many trials to take the stand in his own defense, Donald Trump‘s lawyers would not allow it. The former reality TV host’s increasingly frantic efforts to talk his way out of the ballooning outrage over his flagrant cover-up of the Jeffrey Epstein case are backfiring, making him look like nothing more than a man who has a whole lot to hide.

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Thursday night saw him continue his erratic behavior. Posting on his Truth Social network, Trump said he was authorizing Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek to “produce any and all Grand Jury Testimony, subject to Court approval,” a move that will likely do little to satisfy his MAGA critics. This followed the publication of a Wall Street Journal report alleging Trump had once sent Epstein a sexually graphic birthday card. Hours after it was published, Trump admitted he had tried to block the article and announced he would sue the newspaper and its parent company News Corp., as well as owner Rupert Murdoch. “President Trump has already beaten George Stephanopoulos/ABC, 60 Minutes/CBS, and others, and looks forward to suing and holding accountable the once great Wall Street Journal,” he posted on Truth Social, oddly referring to himself in third person.

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On Wednesday night, the Washington Post reported that the White House fired Maurene Comey, a seasoned prosecutor for the Southern District of New York. Comey has worked on many high-profile cases, most recently helping secure a conviction for Sean Combs. But more crucially, she prosecuted Maxwell — and Epstein. Or would have, if he hadn’t died in jail. More than anyone else on the planet, Comey probably knows what’s in the unreleased Epstein documents. If there were any interest from Republicans or the White House in learning more, they would be talking to her, not showing her the door.

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But it’s also true that Trump is shortsighted and has the narcissist’s compulsion to say whatever he needs to in the moment to get approval. Older interviews, where he promises to release the files, show both tendencies on full display. It’s clear that Trump didn’t want to be talking about Epstein, but he will always say whatever he feels will sell well. So he promised to release the files, no doubt believing that he could break that promise, like he breaks every promise. In a sense, that wasn’t even a bad bet. Trump lies to his supporters constantly, and they never seem to mind, often because they feel like they’re in on the con. This is truly the first time I’ve seen many of them, even the wealthy influencers who should know better, express genuine confusion over why their beloved leader has obviously lied to them. .............................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2025/07/18/trump-fires-epstein-prosecutor-maurene-comey-which-sure-looks-desperate/