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A broken promise to release more information about the Jeffrey Epstein case has sparked outrage among some of President Donald Trump鈥檚 loyal supporters.

The Justice Department last week said Epstein, who was facing charges of sex trafficking, did not leave behind a 鈥渃lient list.鈥� Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested in February it was on her desk, though she later said she was referring to the overall case file.

Bondi also said officials were poring over a 鈥渢ruckload鈥� of previously withheld evidence. The Justice Department concluded, however, that public disclosure would not be appropriate and that much of the material was placed under seal by a judge. That has angered right-wing influencers who were once bolstered by Trump’s own claims on this case, but are now feeling their demands are being squelched by his administration.

Figures like commentator Tucker Carlson, right-wing activist Laura Loomer, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon claim the government鈥檚 handling of the case shows a lack of transparency. Anger over the case threatens to divide the MAGA faithful.

Here’s a look at the Epstein sex trafficking case, how the Trump administration has handled it and how his supporters have reacted to recent developments.

What is the Epstein case?

Epstein was a wealthy financier arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges. His former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was charged with helping him abuse teenage girls.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month after he was arrested. Investigators concluded he killed himself. Maxwell later was convicted at trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The case attracted attention because of Epstein and Maxwell鈥檚 links to famous people, including royals, presidents and billionaires. It also led to some of the biggest conspiracy theories animating Trump鈥檚 base.

Conservatives, led by key figures in the MAGA movement, have pressed unsubstantiated claims that Epstein was murdered and that 鈥渄eep state鈥� actors in the government are hiding lists of his clients, videos of crimes being committed and other evidence. Trump himself suggested there was a cover-up.

What are the 鈥楨pstein Files鈥�?

Trump lately has tried to change the subject, but the Epstein matter commands attention because of the words and actions from his administration.

In February, far-right influencers were invited to the White House and provided with binders marked 鈥淭he Epstein Files: Phase 1鈥� and 鈥淒eclassified.鈥� The binders contained documents that had largely already been in the public domain.

Bondi said in May there were 鈥渢ens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn.鈥� That fueled a belief that details about powerful figures had been suppressed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public,鈥� Bondi said at one point.

Multiple people who participated in the criminal cases of Epstein and Maxwell told The Associated Press that they had not seen and did not know of a trove of recordings along the lines of what Bondi had referenced.

What happened last week?

The Justice Department on July 7 acknowledged that Epstein did not have a list of clients and said no more files related to Epstein鈥檚 case would be made public.

A two-page memo that bore the logos of the FBI and Justice Department, but that was not signed by any individual, said the DOJ determined that no 鈥渇urther disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.鈥� It said much of the material was placed under seal by a court to protect victims and 鈥渙nly a fraction鈥� of it 鈥渨ould have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial.鈥�

It was a huge retreat from what Bondi and others had previously claimed. And it prompted anger 鈥� and more suspicion and conspiracy theories 鈥� from the MAGA faithful.

Some MAGA world influencers, including Loomer and Glenn Beck, have explicitly called on Bondi to resign. Former Fox News personality Megyn Kelly, who is now a podcaster, called Bondi 鈥渆ither lazy or incompetent.鈥�

What had Trump said about Epstein before his second term?

As far back as 2019, Trump suggested that Epstein鈥檚 death was a cover-up and called for a full investigation.

In retweeting a post by conservative pundit and comedian Terrance K. Williams, who suggested that former President Bill Clinton may have been involved, Trump wrote that Epstein 鈥渉ad information on Bill Clinton & now he鈥檚 dead.鈥�

When asked about his retweet, Trump said he was merely 鈥渄emanding鈥� a full investigation, a day after then-Attorney General Bill Barr said there had been 鈥渟erious irregularities鈥� at the prison where Epstein was being held.

In a 2023 interview, Trump told Carlson he believed that Epstein had committed suicide. But he couched his response, saying it was also 鈥減ossible鈥� that he had been murdered, a theory he said 鈥渕any people.鈥� believed.

Last year, Trump was asked on Fox News whether he would declassify documents regarding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and he answered 鈥測eah.鈥� He was then asked about the 鈥淓pstein files,鈥� and he said 鈥測eah, yeah, I would,鈥� but then added 鈥淚 think that less so because you don鈥檛 want to affect people鈥檚 lives if it鈥檚 phony stuff in there, because it鈥檚 a lot of phony stuff with that whole world. But I think I would.鈥�

What has Trump said recently?

In a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump called it 鈥渦nbelievable鈥� and a 鈥渄esecration鈥� that people were still talking about 鈥渢his creep,鈥� given other pressing matters, including the catastrophic flooding in Texas.

In a social media post on Saturday, he expressed support for Bondi.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 going on with my 鈥榖oys鈥� and, in some cases, 鈥榞als?鈥欌�� Trump wrote. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We鈥檙e on one Team, MAGA, and I don鈥檛 like what鈥檚 happening.鈥�