US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn of the White House after arriving on Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. President Donald Trump’s critics aren’t buying his latest claim about the files related to his former friend, the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “I have nothing to hide. I’ve been exonerated. I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday evening. “They went in hoping that they’d find it and found just the opposite. I’ve been totally exonerated.”He used the phrase “totally exonerated” at least two more times during the exchange.The files do not offer new evidence of wrongdoing by Trump. However, Trump – who was once close to Epstein – is mentioned frequently, and the documents are so heavily redacted that critics say many questions remain. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) last week said he searched the unredacted files available to lawmakers for “Don,” “Donald” and “Trump” and received more than 1 million results.Trump on Monday also insisted that ”[Bill and Hillary] Clinton and many other Democrats have been pulled in” by the documents. However, those same documents have also raised new questions about members of his own administration and inner circle. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Mehmet Oz and former White House strategist Steve Bannon have all been named in the documents, often suggesting closer ties to Epstein than previously known.Several other prominent members of the administration also appear in the files. One of Trump’s fellow Republicans, Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), on Sunday even gave the Trump administration a new name as a result. “This is the Epstein administration,” Massie said on This Week as he accused Trump and Trump’s allies of working to protect the names in the files instead of seeking justice for the victims.Trump’s critics on X also didn’t buy his “totally exonerated” claim: He’s mentioned more times in the Epstein files than Jesus is mentioned in the Bible. https://t.co/FNmVoR110z— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) February 17, 2026He won’t appoint a special prosecutor. https://t.co/JpnwjfloEQ— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) February 17, 2026I have nothing to hide’ is always funniest when said immediately after the thing everyone is looking at. The Epstein files are dropping receipts and he’s out here speed‑running denial like it’s a sport— Intare Batinya (@GorillaExplorer) February 17, 2026Pretty convenient for the President that Epstein’s not around to explain what he meant in this email *about calling Trump*about his now also-deceased victim, Virginia Guiffre… pic.twitter.com/KWsj1wHabY— John Oleske (@JohnOleske) February 17, 2026Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed there was “no evidence” Donald Trump committed any crimes in the Epstein files. Rep. Ted Lieu of California accused her of lying under oath. pic.twitter.com/77EfaOdO5J— Neelotpal Srivastav (@NS_Neelotpal) February 17, 2026Do you think the man of a million mentions has been “totally exonerated” by the release of the Epstein files? Are you satisfied that Trump had no good reason to report Epstein and help Esptein’s 1,000 teenage victims becuase Trump knew nothing about what Epstein was doing?— Alexander Hamilton’s Tears (@Hamiltonstears) February 17, 2026That statement ALONE should be enough to invoke the 25th Amendment— The Resistor Sister®️♥️🇺🇸 (@the_resistor) February 17, 2026https://t.co/c5Jn154PQtpic.twitter.com/iNYX7RVF9O— Mike_not_in_Vegas_ (@Mike_in_Vegas_) February 17, 2026Exonerated implies there was an investigation that concluded no wrongdoing. Which investigation? People are asking for specifics, not slogans.— Nikos Unity (@nikosunity) February 17, 2026So why not appoint a special counsel? https://t.co/uv8YfSkwwq— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) February 17, 2026https://t.co/vzJguOboNGpic.twitter.com/zFHLoaScKn— Jake not from State Farm (@BleedCubBlue311) February 17, 2026Related…Liz Truss Ripped Apart After Posing With Donald Trump In Questionable Social Media PostTrump Says Bondi Was ‘Fantastic’ At Hearing, Claims Epstein Scandal ‘Backfiring’ On DemsPublic Figures With Epstein Ties Are Facing Swift Accountability… In Europe HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public) Read More