Donald Trump’s assertion that Epstein’s victims are ‘Democrats’ — and the GOP’s history of protecting abusers and businesses
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Trump’s unfounded claim that Epstein’s victims are “Democrats” reflects a GOP legacy of protecting political allies and corporate elites from sexual misconduct and abuse consequences.
Donald Trump’s claim that Epstein victims are ‘Democrats’ is more than an unfounded insult — it’s part of an age-old political tactic: smear survivors, characterize abuse claims as partisan attacks and shield the elite from justice. This strategy has long been deployed by Republican leaders, both to protect their own and to protect the corporate and political establishment — CEOs, billionaires and elected officials — from accountability for their wrongdoing.
The GOP’s history is rife with headline-grabbing instances of sexual misconduct, criminal convictions, and relentless efforts to roll back protective laws, restrict lawsuits, and shield predators in positions of authority. From the White House to state legislatures, GOP leadership has prioritized shielding political friends and wealthy donors instead of defending the rights of everyday Americans.
Republican Leaders Accused of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
Donald Trump — Civil Liability and a History of Accusations
Prior to his presidentcy and during it, over two dozen women accused Trump of sexual harassment or assault. In 2005 he was taped bragging about grabbing women by the pussy — which he later wrote off as “locker room talk.” In 2023, a civil jury held Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll, awarding $5 million in damages. He’s also a felony-indicted hush-money scheme with an adult-film actress in New York. And yet, Republican lawmakers have largely stuck by him, dismissing the allegations as political.
Dennis Hastert — Former House Speaker and Convicted ‘Serial Child Molester’
In 2016, Dennis Hastert pleaded guilty to financial crimes he committed in the process of paying hush money to cover up sexually abusing boys he coached decades earlier. Although the statute of limitations barred direct prosecution for the abuse, Hastert confessed to molesting at least three minors. The sentencing judge labeled him a ‘serial child molester.”
Roy Moore — Child Molestation Claims
Several women alleged Alabama Republican Roy Moore was dating or sexually molesting them as teenagers — one just 14. Trump backed Moore’s Senate campaign despite accusations, saying he’s vital to the Republican majority. Most Alabama Republicans surveyed at the time rejected the allegations as political smears.
Brett Kavanaugh — Accused Rapist and Frantic Installation
At his Supreme Court confirmation, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified under oath that Kavanaugh had assaulted her in high school. Republicans rammed his confirmation after a severely restricted FBI probe. The decisive vote came, predictably, down strict party lines.
Jim Jordan — Abuse Cover-Up at Ohio State
Ex-wrestlers have accused Rep. Jim Jordan of knowing about — and ignoring — sexual abuse by a team doctor when he was assistant wrestling coach. Jordan denies it, but survivors have been vocal in their opposition to his ascension to the helm.
Other Cases
From Rep. Mark Foley’s texts to underage pages, to Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ blackmail escapade, to Clarence Thomas’s sexual harassment case, the GOP-linked abuse docket is long and bruising.
How Republican Policies Undermine Victims
Defending those in power is synonymous with defending the corporate-political apparatus that supports them. Republican lawmakers have consistently moved to deny victims’ rights, close doors to legal protections, and decrease corporate accountability for abuse, harassment, and consumer damage.
Obstructing VAWA
In 2019, Senate Republicans delayed reauthorization of VAWA, opposing provisions such as closing the “boyfriend loophole” that would prevent abusive dating partners from purchasing guns. The NRA lobbied hard against the bill, and its protections, expanded, expired until the Democrats retook the Senate.
RAISE OPPOSITION TO JUSTICE FOR CSAS
In states such as Pennsylvania and Colorado, GOP lawmakers have blocked or gutted ‘lookback window’ legislation, which would permit survivors of decades-old child sexual abuse to file lawsuits. Resistance frequently followed lobbying from churches, youth groups and other organizations that were about to be sued.
Protecting Corporations with Forced Arbitration
GOP-led Congress repeals Obama-era rule preventing federal contractors from forcing sexual harassment cases into private arbitration — a process that keeps misconduct secret and protects companies from public accountability. In 2022, many House Republicans also voted against banning NDAs and forced arbitration in sexual misconduct cases.
Rolling Back Campus Assault Protections
Under Trump, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rewrote Title IX rules, narrowing the definition of sexual harassment, raising the burden of proof and discouraging victims from coming forward. House Republicans voted in 2024 to block Biden’s restoration of these protections.
The Corporate Connection — A Pact of Mutual Protection
And this protection of abusers is not limited to politicians — it reaches all the way into the boardrooms of America’s most powerful corporations.
- Campaign Funding Loops — Corporations donate to GOP campaigns; in return, Republican lawmakers push “tort reform” and regulatory rollbacks that limit lawsuits and damages against those same corporations.
- Judicial Appointments — Republican-appointed judges often side with corporations in liability cases, making it harder for victims to win in court.
- Legislative Shielding — From immunity provisions in COVID-19 relief bills that shielded companies from workplace safety lawsuits, to blocking wage theft penalties, the GOP legislative record consistently favors corporate interests over consumer and worker protections.
That’s why sexual abuse or harassment inside huge companies — from media empires to retail giants — so frequently never make it to a jury: the legal system has been molded to benefit the employer, not the survivor.
Real-World Impact: Survivors and Consumers Pick Up the Tab
- Survivors silenced by NDAs and arbitration clauses are denied their day in court.
- Consumers harmed by unsafe products or corporate negligence face damage caps so low that lawsuits aren’t worth pursuing.
- Whistleblowers punished for exposing misconduct find themselves blacklisted, while the executives they accuse retire with multimillion-dollar payouts.
These aren’t hypothetical policy arguments — they are the day-to-day realities of Americans whose path to justice has been constricted by intentional political decisions.
Delegitimizing Victims — The GOP’s Rhetorical Playbook
Trump’s Epstein Victims Comment
Trump reportedly claimed that some of Epstein’s victims were Democrats attempting to damage him — a unfounded allegation that matches a pattern we’ve seen before: accuse accusers of being political operatives to delegitimize them.
Calling Critics “Communists”
Trump and other Republicans often label investigators, journalists and political adversaries as “communists” or “Marxists,” an ancient smear retooled to energize supporters and redirect attention from the accusations themselves.
Framing Allegations as Political Plots
From Roy Moore to Brett Kavanaugh, Republican have portrayed abuse allegations as coordinated political attacks by Democrats and the press, not a reckoning with shameful behavior.
Conclusion — A Culture of Immunity for the Powerful
Donald Trump’s claim that Jeffrey Epstein’s victims are “Democrats” is not just a lie, it’s a cynical example of how the GOP political machine takes attention away from abuse by making it into a political fight. In reality, Epstein’s victims transcended politics — united not by ideology, but by trauma.
What’s not disputable is the GOP’s extensive record of protecting politicians, CEOs and big business from any consequence — for sexual misconduct, abuse, or more general consumer harm. And this isn’t an isolated matter of separate scandals — it’s a political culture in which defending the influential is more important than defending the vulnerable.
Bad behavior is no monopoly4 of one party. But Trump’s own record, combined with his party’s legislative and judicial crusades, belies any assertion that they are heroes for survivors or everyday Americans. His comments about Epstein’s victims are not only offensive — they also signal how far public officials will go to shield their own, even if that means endangering truth, justice, and the constituents they were voted in to represent.
Sources:
1. Donald Trump — E. Jean Carroll Case
- AP News: “Jury finds Trump liable for sexual abuse, awards accuser $5 M” — details the 2023 verdict against Trump in the E. Jean Carroll case. The New Yorker+14AP News+14The Guardian+14
- PBS NewsHour: “Trump ordered to pay additional $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll in defamation case” — covers the additional damages awarded in 2024. Wikipedia+6PBS+6Wikipedia+6
- Al Jazeera: “Trump loses defamation liability appeal in E. Jean Carroll case” — reports on the appeals court upholding part of the verdict. Wikipedia+4Al Jazeera+4Wikipedia+4
- AP News (as navlist): “Federal appeals court upholds a $5 million award in a sexual abuse verdict against President‑elect Trump” — affirms the upheld verdict. AP News+1
- The Guardian (US News): “Trump fails to overturn $5m damages award to E. Jean Carroll for defamation” — discusses the failed attempt to overturn the verdict. Business Insider+14The Guardian+14Wikipedia+14
- The Daily Beast: “E. Jean Carroll Trolls Trump as His Appeal Fails in $5M …” — covers Carroll’s response following the appeal’s failure. The Daily Beast
- Business Insider: “Trump’s lawyers say the Supreme Court’s sweeping presidential immunity ruling should save him $83.3 million” — details Trump’s ongoing appeal strategy. Wikipedia+4Business Insider+4The Daily Beast+4
2. Dennis Hastert — Conviction for Abuse Cover-Up
- NPR / CapRadio: “Dennis Hastert Admits to Sexual Abuse” — recounts his sentencing and revelation of past abuse. CapRadio+2Wikipedia+2
- ABC News: “Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert ‘Deeply Ashamed’…” — covers the sentencing specifics. abcnews.go.com+2CapRadio+2
- Wikipedia (Hastert entry) — summarizes the case, sentencing, and judicial condemnation. Wikipedia
3. Roy Moore — Sexual Misconduct Allegations
- Wikipedia – Roy Moore Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Comprehensive overview of the accusations from multiple women, including three alleging sexual assault (some when underage) and his shifting responses and denials. Also covers reactions from Republican leaders and legal actions taken afterward.
Vanity Fair+15Wikipedia+15The Daily Beast+15 - The Washington Post – “Woman says Roy Moore initiated sexual encounter when she was 14, he was 32”
Reporting on Leigh Corfman’s detailed accusation that Moore pursued an inappropriate relationship with her when she was 14.
The New Yorker+3The Washington Post+3Wikipedia+3Wikipedia+2TIME+2 - PBS NewsHour – Another Accuser Comes Forward
Coverage of additional accusers who emerged, recounting incidents of sexual assault as teenagers.
The Daily Beast+5PBS+5TIME+5 - Time – “Fifth Accuser Says Roy Moore Sexually Assaulted Her As a Teenager”
Account from Beverly Young Nelson describing a deeply disturbing incident when she was 16. Includes her public testimony and Moore’s response.
The New Yorker+3TIME+3The New Yorker+3 - New Yorker – “What Happened to the Women of #MeToo?”
Follow-up on accuser Tina Johnson’s experience, exposing the backlash she and others faced after going public—including harassment and emotional toll.
The New Yorker+2The Washington Post+2 - The Daily Beast – “Dirty Dozen: The 12 Friends of Donald Trump Accused of Sex Crimes”
Highlights Roy Moore among others tied to Trump, summarizing the nature of the allegations and political support he received from the president.
The Daily BeastGQ
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