The Epstein Files Are Real. The Fantasy Around Them Isn’t.

Let’s talk about the Epstein files — because clearly, a lot of people don’t actually understand what they’re asking for.

Every time Donald Trump’s name pops up on social media, the comments are flooded with the same thing: “Release the files.” “What about Epstein?” “Where’s the list?” You’ll even see comments like “Everything to distract from the Epstein files” under completely unrelated stories — celebrity news, foreign wars, even natural disasters. It’s like a broken record. Doesn’t matter what the post is about — foreign policy, court cases, memes — someone will inevitably scream “Epstein” like it’s a mic drop.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

A lot of this outrage isn’t really about justice.

It’s about confirmation bias.

And let’s be honest — many people yelling about “the list” don’t even know what they’re referring to. So let’s clear that up — and separate fact from fantasy.

The “Files” Are Not a Secret Pedophile List

Let’s get one thing straight: the so-called “Epstein files” are not a single sheet of paper listing the guilty. And just because someone’s name appears doesn’t mean they’re guilty of anything. That includes Trump. That includes anyone else.

The obsession with “the list” has turned into a lazy substitute for actual thinking.

People seem to be waiting for one big A4 sheet labeled Here Are the Pedophiles — but that’s not how real investigations work. What’s being referred to as “the Epstein files” is actually a vast collection of court records, testimonies, flight logs, emails, depositions, and interviews. Thousands of pages — not a bullet-pointed villain roster.

AND YES, TRUMP’S NAME IS IN THERE. That’s not shocking — he was publicly associated with Epstein years ago. That’s not proof of guilt; it’s just public record.

The Birthday Book Everyone Was Waiting For

The Birthday Book had been mentioned before in court filings and media reports, especially during Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, but it was sealed and details were vague. People talked about it as some mysterious scrapbook full of names and connections — but no one had actually seen it.

That changed in 2025, when one of the most talked-about “Epstein documents” finally surfaced: the so-called Birthday Book. This 238-page scrapbook, compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday by Ghislaine Maxwell, contains photographs, letters, and drawings — some nostalgic, others downright unsettling. Among the pages is a typewritten note allegedly from Donald Trump, framed around a nude sketch of a woman, ending with the line: “May every day be another wonderful secret,” signed simply, “Donald.”

Trump has denied ever writing or drawing it.

Despite the initial media buzz, the Birthday Book contains no direct accusations against Trump, no flight logs placing him at abusive sites, and no evidence linking him to Epstein’s crimes. Instead, it’s mostly a strange collection of personal memorabilia — disturbing in parts, but far from the “smoking gun” many expected.

The “Spa Worker” Incident and the Falling Out

Trump has said publicly that he cut ties with Epstein years before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. One reason he gives: Epstein was “poaching” young spa workers from Mar-a-Lago, including Virginia Giuffre, who later became one of Epstein’s accusers. According to Trump, he warned Epstein to stop, then banned him from the club.

Whether every detail of that account checks out is still debated, but the timeline fits with other reporting: their relationship soured around 2004, and by the time Epstein was under investigation in Florida, Trump had distanced himself.

What the Accusers Actually Said

It’s easy to assume that everyone associated with Epstein was involved in abuse — but assumptions aren’t evidence. Several of Epstein’s most high-profile accusers, including Virginia Giuffre, have spoken out publicly about who abused them — and who didn’t.

In multiple interviews and legal statements, Giuffre has said that Donald Trump never abused her, and that she never saw him involved in anything criminal.

That doesn’t clear him of all questions — but it’s a critical detail that often gets drowned out in the noise. If the public says “believe the victims,” then it should also listen to what they’ve actually said — even when it doesn’t fit the preferred narrative.

Most Outrage Is Not About Justice

Here’s the hard part: a large chunk of the online outrage surrounding the Epstein case isn’t about protecting victims or uncovering truth. It’s about finding a headline that confirms a preloaded belief — that Trump must be guilty.

That’s why when accusers say, “He never abused me,” it barely registers. And that’s why his administration’s efforts to roll up child trafficking gangs and rescue victims went largely ignored by the same people demanding “justice.” They weren’t focused on the problem itself — they were waiting for the villain they wanted.

Lost in all the noise are the people who were actually harmed — whose experiences risk being reduced to hashtags, conspiracy memes, or partisan weapons.

If justice is truly the goal, it has to start by centering them, not just catching the villain we’ve already decided is guilty.

Justice Is Slow, Drama Is Fast

Both the Trump and Biden administrations have reasons to tread carefully around full disclosure. These files reportedly name people from both political parties. Neither president can simply “release” sealed documents anyway — grand jury protections, court orders, and victim privacy laws prevent that.

The Epstein files are dense, messy court records — not a neatly formatted PDF titled Here’s Who’s Guilty. If someone handed the full archive to the public tomorrow, most wouldn’t know what to do with it. A few names would be screenshotted, outrage would be tweeted, and people would move on.

Because for many, this was never about justice. It was about feeding a story they already believe.

So the real question becomes:

Do people want justice, or do they want drama?

Justice is slow, complex, and often disappointing.

But drama? Drama is fast, viral — and usually wrong.

If the Epstein files are ever released in full, expect confusion — not closure. And if the goal is to expose wrongdoing, it starts with learning how to process information with care. Otherwise, outrage just becomes another form of distraction.

This piece reflects my personal interpretation of publicly available legal information and mainstream reporting. Any similarity in topic or framing to other commentary is due to shared source material, not duplication.