Trump Welcomes Epstein Lawyer Alan Dershowitz Into Republican Party, Promotes His New Book

President Donald Trump has publicly welcomed prominent constitutional lawyer Alan Dershowitz into the Republican Party, using his Truth Social platform to endorse the former Harvard professor's forthcoming book about abandoning the Democratic Party after nearly seven decades.

The endorsement marks the latest example of Trump embracing high-profile former Democrats who argue the party has shifted too far to the left. It also arrives as Dershowitz continues to face renewed scrutiny over his past legal representation of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, placing the veteran attorney back at the centre of both political and legal attention.

Trump's message combined praise for Dershowitz's legal career with sharp criticism of the Democratic Party, framing the professor's political realignment as part of a broader movement away from progressive politics.

Trump Promotes Dershowitz's New Book

In a post published on Truth Social, Trump praised Dershowitz as a respected legal scholar before encouraging supporters to purchase his upcoming memoir.

'Alan is a Great American Patriot who understands the Wisdom and Courage it takes to defend Democracy from Communism,' Trump wrote.

He continued by calling it an 'Honor to welcome him into the Party of COMMON SENSE,' while urging followers to pre-order Why I Quit the Dems: And So Should You! (Confessions of a Reluctant Republican), which is scheduled for publication later this year by Skyhorse Publishing.

The president also used the announcement to criticise Democrats, arguing that longtime party members such as Dershowitz now feel alienated by what he described as the 'Radical Left.' Trump claimed Americans were increasingly leaving traditionally Democratic states in search of greater political and personal freedom, echoing a recurring theme of his second administration.

Dershowitz Leaves Democrats After Decades

Dershowitz, now 87, has spent much of his public life identifying as a Democrat. Born in Brooklyn in 1938, he became the youngest full professor in Harvard Law School history at just 28 years old and went on to teach constitutional and criminal law there for nearly 50 years.

Throughout much of his academic career, Dershowitz was widely associated with liberal legal scholarship while also developing a reputation for defending controversial clients regardless of their political views. According to promotional material for his forthcoming book, the veteran attorney describes his departure from the Democratic Party as reluctant rather than ideological.

The title itself, Why I Quit the Dems: And So Should You! (Confessions of a Reluctant Republican), suggests he views the change less as an embrace of traditional conservatism than as a response to what he believes has become a significantly different Democratic Party. That narrative aligns closely with Trump's broader political strategy of highlighting prominent figures who say they no longer recognise the party they once supported.

Epstein Connection Returns to Public Attention

Trump's endorsement also arrives while Dershowitz continues to receive attention for his past legal work involving Jeffrey Epstein.

Dershowitz represented Epstein during legal proceedings dating back to the mid-2000s. Epstein later died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Although serving as a defence attorney does not imply endorsement of a client's conduct, Dershowitz's role in Epstein's legal team has remained a recurring subject of public discussion.

More recently, the issue resurfaced in Congress. Last month, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer criticised Dershowitz after he failed to appear for a scheduled transcribed interview connected to the committee's investigation into Epstein.

'This is unacceptable,' Comer wrote in correspondence addressing the missed appearance. According to Comer, investigators hoped to question Dershowitz after interviewing Epstein victims and obtaining testimony from Epstein's former executive secretary, Lesley Groff.

Dershowitz responded by saying his attorneys had advised him that he was 'not permitted to testify at this time.' He has not publicly indicated when, or if, the interview may be rescheduled.

Dershowitz Has Defended Trump Before

Although Trump's latest endorsement has attracted attention, the relationship between the president and Dershowitz is well established.

The constitutional scholar joined Trump's legal defence team during the president's first impeachment trial before the U.S. Senate in 2020, arguing constitutional issues surrounding impeachment proceedings.

Since then, Dershowitz has frequently appeared in television interviews defending Trump on legal matters ranging from criminal indictments to presidential powers and constitutional interpretation. His willingness to publicly support Trump has often placed him at odds with many former Democratic colleagues.

Dershowitz has also spent years rejecting allegations made against him by one of Epstein's accusers. He consistently denied the claims, and litigation between the parties was ultimately resolved without any finding of liability against him.

Politics and Loyalty Collide

Trump's endorsement therefore serves multiple political purposes. It reinforces his effort to present the Republican Party as attracting prominent former Democrats while simultaneously highlighting one of his most visible legal defenders.

For Dershowitz, the book represents a public explanation of a political evolution that has unfolded gradually over recent years. For Trump, it offers another opportunity to argue that dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party extends beyond conservative voters to include long-established legal and academic figures.

Whether Dershowitz's memoir resonates beyond political audiences remains to be seen. But Trump's enthusiastic endorsement ensures that the book and the debate surrounding its author, will enter the public conversation well before its release.