In a rare show of bipartisan agreement, a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll reveals that nearly seven in 10 Americans — including a majority of Republicans — believe the U.S. government is withholding key information about Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019.
The survey of 1,729 U.S. adults, conducted from July 24 to 28, shows widespread public skepticism about the official account of Epstein’s death and the existence of a so-called “client list” of powerful individuals tied to his alleged sex trafficking operation.
Growing Distrust Across Party Lines
Despite the Trump administration’s Justice Department concluding that Epstein had no client list and that he died by suicide, 69% of respondents still believe the government is hiding information related to the case. That includes a majority of Republicans (55%).
Only 8% of Americans believe the government is being fully transparent. Meanwhile, 23% accept the Justice Department’s conclusion that Epstein took his own life — but nearly twice that number (47%) suspect he was murdered. Another 30% remain unsure.
Doubt over Epstein’s cause of death is bipartisan: 42% of Republicans and 51% of Democrats believe he was killed. In total, 67% of Americans say the government is concealing facts about Epstein’s death.
Suspicion Centers on Trump — Even Among Republicans
When asked why the government might be hiding Epstein-related information, 48% of Americans said it’s to protect former President Donald Trump. This belief is especially strong among Democrats (81%) and independents (53%), though even 13% of Republicans agree, with another 16% unsure.
These suspicions resurface amid continued outrage among Trump’s right-wing base, some of whom feel betrayed by his administration’s handling of the case. While Trump had vowed during his 2024 campaign to release all Epstein-related files, a recent memo from the DOJ and FBI concluded again that Epstein committed suicide and did not maintain a list of clients — echoing the findings from the Biden-era investigation.
That conclusion has enraged many of Trump’s supporters, some of whom feel that he has reneged on his promise of full transparency. The controversy has also reignited questions about Trump’s own past relationship with Epstein.
Speaking recently from Scotland, Trump said he was invited to Epstein’s private island but declined. “I never had the privilege of going to his island,” Trump told reporters. “A lot of people in Palm Beach were invited, but I turned it down. It was one of my better decisions.”
Public Discontent with the Government’s Handling
The poll indicates a significant gap between public expectations and the government’s actions. Only 21% of Americans approve of how the president is managing the Epstein investigation — his lowest approval rating on any individual issue this year. In contrast, 61% disapprove. Among Republicans, just 44% support his handling of the matter — far fewer than those who back his immigration policies.
Most Americans (55%) feel the president hasn’t gone far enough in seeking the truth about Epstein. Only 16% believe his approach has been appropriate, while 7% think it’s gone too far. A third of Republicans (33%) also say more should be done.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has become the face of the administration’s Epstein response, is now viewed unfavorably by the public — only 26% express a favorable opinion of her.
Public confidence in the Department of Justice has also declined since 2022. Two years ago, 44% of respondents said they had at least “some” confidence in the DOJ. That figure has dropped to 39%, while distrust has climbed to 61%.
Why the Epstein Story Resonates So Deeply
There are several reasons why the Epstein case continues to capture public attention:
1. Widespread Awareness
According to the poll, 91% of Americans have heard of the Epstein case — half of them say they’ve heard “a lot” about it. That level of familiarity is among the highest for any event in Yahoo/YouGov polling since 2020, ranking just behind the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Oscars slap involving Will Smith, and Trump’s 2023 indictment.
2. Bipartisan Links
Respondents were reminded that Epstein had connections to both former President Bill Clinton and current President Donald Trump. Nearly half of Americans (47% for Clinton, 48% for Trump) believe one or both engaged in criminal activity with Epstein. In contrast, only 12% said Clinton definitely did not commit crimes with Epstein, and 26% said the same of Trump. The bipartisan nature of these suspicions may make conspiracy theories about Epstein more appealing to the public.
3. Mainstreaming of Conspiracy Thinking
The poll suggests that belief in conspiracy theories has become more common. Among the findings:
- 51% of Democrats believe many top politicians are involved in child sex-trafficking rings.
- 51% of Republicans believe a single secretive group controls world events behind the scenes.
- 57% of Democrats believe the recent assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, was staged to help his campaign.
- 58% of Republicans believe Trump’s would-be assassin didn’t act alone.
- 63% of Republicans believe Barack Obama committed treason to sabotage Trump in the 2016 election — a claim Trump has made without evidence.
Overwhelming Support for Full Disclosure
Americans want answers. A striking 84% say they would support the release of all Epstein-related files. Just 5% oppose the idea.
That desire for transparency contrasts sharply with recent actions by congressional leaders. Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson recessed the House for summer without voting on whether to release the Epstein files — a move opposed by 69% of Americans. Only 10% support it.
Johnson had previously stated that Congress should “put everything out there and let the people decide.”
About the Poll
The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,729 U.S. adults interviewed online from July 24–28, 2025. The sample was weighted by gender, age, race, education, voter turnout, 2024 presidential vote, party affiliation, and registration status. The margin of error is approximately ±3.1%.
With reporting by Dylan Stableford.