The Epstein files add fuel to the fire

There’s a reason Americans have been so interested in the Epstein files.

For Americans, the files – and the dramatics surrounding their release – have been a reminder of the exclusive privileges Americans feel that elites have. They also serve as a clear reminder that among Americans, the distrust of elites is a powerful force that will continue to shape U.S. politics.

Below are five charts on how Americans have reacted to the release of the Epstein files and what the reaction reveals the state of America’s distrust of the elite.

1. Talk of the country. Large majorities of Americans, regardless of age, gender, race, or partisanship, report hearing about the Epstein files.

2. Distrust of the elite. For a majority of Americans, the files reinforce how little they trust the country’s political and business elite. These are feelings that won’t disappear overnight.

3. Fuel to the flames. Indeed, Americans already felt separated from U.S. political and business elite. The files reinforce this division, acting as confirmation for those that already felt this way. While the sentiment isn't new, the files provide a visible focal point that deepens the existing sense of alienation.

4. Distrust of the system spans ideology. More broadly, Americans across the spectrum share a deep-rooted distrust not only of elite business and political leaders, but of the “system” itself. While the Democrats and Republicans may define "the elite" differently, the Epstein files serve as a symptom of a system that many believe lacks accountability.

5. For Trump, a sore spot. Even among Republicans, who typically align with Trump on most issues, approval on the Epstein files doesn’t reach a majority. Perceived protection of elite circles can be a political liability.

Anti-elite sentiment isn’t a byproduct of the Epstein files. They span political ideology. They existed before Trump and will exist after Trump, too.

The saga is a clear reminder that populism and widespread distrust in the elite, however the “elite” is defined, aren’t a bug of today’s politics – they’re here to stay.