NEW YORK — President Donald Trump is lashing out at his own supporters, accusing them of being duped by Democrats, as he tries to clamp down on criticism over his administration's handling of much-hyped records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation, which Trump now calls a "Hoax."
"Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bull——,' hook, line, and sinker," Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media site, using an expletive. "They haven't learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years."
"Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter," he went on.
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President Donald Trump speaks Wednesday in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.Â
On Tuesday, he accused former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as former FBI Director James Comey, of making up such documents.
“I would say that, you know, these files were made up by Comey, they were made up by Obama, they were made up by the Biden … ,†Trump told members of the media at the White House before departing for an event in Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department fired Maurene Comey, the daughter of the former FBI director and a prosecutor in the federal cases against Epstein and Sean “Diddy†Combs, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
There was no specific reason given for her firing from the U.S. attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York, according to one of the people who spoke on the condition of anonymity.Â
Trump presented no evidence in claiming that Democrats and James Comey tampered with documents related to Epstein’s case.Â
The schism centers on his administration's handling of documents surrounding Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges.
Last week, the Justice Department and the FBI acknowledged that Epstein did not maintain a "client list" to whom underage girls were trafficked, and they said no more files related to the investigation would be made public, despite past promises from Attorney General Pam Bondi that raised the expectations of conservative influencers and conspiracy theorists.
Bondi suggested in February such a document was sitting on her desk waiting for review. Last week, however, she claimed she was referring generally to the Epstein case file, not a client list.
"It's a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public," she said at one point.

Attorney General Pam Bondi points to a graphic Tuesday while speaking at a news conference at the Drug Enforcement Administration in Arlington, Va.Â
The reversal sparked fury among Trump's most loyal defenders, who turned on Bondi in particular. But Trump has repeatedly said he maintains confidence in his attorney general and had instead chided those who continue to press the issue.
“I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is,†he said Tuesday, after unsuccessfully urging his “'boys' and, in some cases, ‘gals’†to stop wasting "Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about."
In an Oval Office appearance Wednesday, Trump made clear that he was done with the story, regardless of what his supporters think.

Epstein
"It's all been a big hoax," he told reporters. "It's perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net."
He complained that Bondi was "waylaid" over her handling of the case and gave out all "credible information" about the wealthy financier.Â
Bondi has "bigger problems" to work on, the president said, citing the administration's work to remove criminals who are living in the United States illegally.

Conservative political commentator Rogan O'Handley, left, and social media content creator Chaya Raichik hold up binders with a cover titled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1"Â Feb. 27 at the White House in Washington.Â
The blowup comes after Trump and many figures in his administration, including FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, spent years stoking dark and disproved conspiracy theories, including embracing QAnon-tinged propaganda that casts Trump as a savior sent to demolish the "deep state" — a supposed secret network of powerful people manipulating government decisions behind the scenes.
Trump’s rivals recently took advantage of right-wing fissures over Epstein. Several Democratic lawmakers called for the release of all Epstein files and suggested Trump could be resisting because he or someone close to him is featured in them.
Trump's comments so far have not been enough to quell those who are still demanding answers.
Some of the podcasters and pro-Trump influencers who helped rally support for Trump in the 2024 campaign said Wednesday they were disappointed or puzzled by his comments on the issue.
Benny Johnson, a conservative podcaster who has called for the Epstein records to be released, said on his show that he is a fan of Trump's movement but is trying to "give tough love and speak on behalf of the base."
"Maybe it hasn't been framed correctly for the president," Johnson said. "I don't know."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in an interview on Benny Johnson's show Tuesday, called for the Justice Department to "put everything out there and let the people decide."

Far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks June 14, 2024, outside the federal courthouse after a bankruptcy hearing in Houston.Â
Far-right conspiracy theorist and podcaster Alex Jones called Trump's handling of the Epstein situation "the biggest train wreck I've ever seen."
"It's not in character for you to be acting like this," he said in a video reacting to Trump on Tuesday evening calling the case boring. "I support you, but we built the movement you rode in on. You're not the movement. You just surfed in on it."
Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on his podcast on Wednesday attempted some damage control on Trump's behalf.
"Don't take too seriously this whole Truth Social here," Kirk told his audience. "I know some people are getting fired up about this. I don't believe he was trying to insult anybody personally."
Other Trump allies stuck by his side, suggesting he does not need the influencers who have capitalized on Epstein conspiracy theories to make money and earn viewers.
"He lent you his clout and voters," Brenden Dilley, the head of a group of meme makers who have lent their support to Trump, wrote on social media Wednesday. "They don't belong to you."