Karoline Leavitt Downplays Epstein Files as Democrats' 'Classic Washington Hoax' to Smear Trump

Karoline Leavitt is facing backlash after a resurfaced clip showed her dismissing scrutiny over the Epstein files as a Democratic 'hoax' aimed at damaging Donald Trump.

The White House press secretary rejected reporting about Jeffrey Epstein-related records, accusing Democrats on the House Oversight Committee of selectively releasing redacted material to create a damaging narrative around Trump.

In the clip, Leavitt described the controversy as a 'classic Washington hoax,' arguing that Trump's political opponents and sympathetic media outlets were trying to smear the president rather than pursue the truth. Her comments have resurfaced on X, where one widely shared post featuring the clip had drawn 5.9 million views as of writing.

The remark appears to come from a November 2025 episode of 'Pod Force One,' the political podcast hosted by Miranda Devine, where Trump administration officials and lawmakers regularly discuss White House politics.

White House Says Democrats Left Out Context

Leavitt's defence centred on the claim that Democrats released material in a way that removed important context.

The White House has argued that the unredacted version of the documents showed the woman referenced in the records had previously said Trump 'had done nothing wrong' and that their limited interactions were friendly. Leavitt has also said the unnamed woman was Virginia Giuffre, the prominent Epstein survivor who died earlier in 2025. TIME reported that it could not independently verify whether Giuffre's name was the one redacted in the emails released by Democrats.

Trump and his allies have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, while Democrats have continued to demand fuller transparency around the files.

Critics Slam 'Hoax' Framing

Leavitt's 'hoax' framing has angered critics who argue the Epstein case should not be treated as ordinary partisan theatre.

One X user wrote: 'It wasnt a hoax until we discovered Trump's name and half his cabinets name was all over them. Has MAGA ever asked why Ghislaine is doing time for sex trafficking to no one.'

Others focused less on the legal argument and more on Leavitt's tone in the clip.

'Kids were raped and brutally abused and she is smiling,' one user wrote, while another called her a 'deeply evil person.'

The reaction shows how emotionally charged the Epstein files remain, especially because the case involves sex trafficking, powerful figures and long-running claims that the public has still not been given the full truth.

Epstein Files Remain Politically Explosive

The Epstein files have become a rare issue that cuts across partisan lines.

Some Trump supporters have demanded full disclosure for years, while Democrats have used the latest releases to press questions about Trump's past ties to Epstein. That has left the White House trying to separate calls for transparency from what it describes as a politically motivated campaign against the president.

Leavitt has previously insisted that the documents 'prove absolutely nothing' beyond Trump doing nothing wrong. Her critics say that response avoids the bigger question of why so many powerful people connected to Epstein have still not faced public accountability.