WASHINGTON — A new Trump Epstein poll released Dec. 12 finds Americans remain deeply skeptical of President Donald Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, even as Congress has forced a deadline for the Justice Department to publish more records. The survey highlights stubborn mistrust around Epstein’s 2019 jail death and his ties to powerful people, while showing Republicans growing more comfortable with Trump’s response as the release clock runs down, Dec. 13, 2025.
Trump Epstein poll: the numbers driving the divide
The Reuters/Ipsos poll paints a country that wants answers but doesn’t trust the process — or the politicians managing it.
23% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the Epstein matter, while 52% disapprove.
62% say they believe the government is hiding information about Epstein’s death.
70% say they believe the government is hiding information about people who may have participated in Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking of teenage girls.
In the Trump Epstein poll, one figure stands out for the White House: Republicans are moving in Trump’s direction. 53% of Republicans approve of his handling of the issue, up from 44% the previous month, though still far below Trump’s 85% approval rating among Republicans overall.
The same poll also suggests Trump’s denials are not widely believed. Only 18% of Americans say it’s likely Trump did not know about Epstein’s alleged crimes before they became public. Among Republicans, that number rises to 34%.
Congress forces the deadline — and the Justice Department is on the hook
Even with Republican approval rising, Trump is facing a hard, public timetable. The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the Justice Department to publish all unclassified records, communications and investigative materials related to Epstein in a searchable, downloadable format.
The House vote that helped shove the issue into law was lopsided: 427-1, a rare bipartisan steamroll that reflected how politically toxic “no” has become on anything tied to Epstein.
Behind the scenes, the Epstein fight has also exposed tension inside Trump’s coalition. As The Associated Press reported, what started as a campaign promise has turned into a second-term stress test, with allies and critics alike warning that whatever gets released may fall short of a public that expects blockbuster revelations.
Adding fuel, the House Oversight Committee has already been pushing out more material tied to Epstein’s network, including an additional 20,000 pages of documents obtained from Epstein’s estate.
Why this story won’t die
Calls to “release the files” are not new — and neither is the public’s suspicion. Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide by New York City’s medical examiner, a determination detailed in AP’s 2019 coverage, yet conspiracy theories have lingered for years. Document dumps have also come in waves, including unsealed court papers published in 2024. And Trump’s past comments about Epstein have been part of the public record since a 2002 New York magazine profile quoted him discussing Epstein as a social acquaintance.
What happens next for the Trump Epstein poll narrative
The White House may celebrate the GOP bump, but the broader warning from the Trump Epstein poll is blunt: most Americans think someone is still holding something back. If the Dec. 19 release lands with heavy redactions, narrow scope or no new names, the next Trump Epstein poll could measure not just skepticism — but backlash.
