A leaked account of a White House crisis meeting shows top Trump officials wanted to release the Epstein files, but Trump himself blocked it — bad for an administration now caught in an open cover-up.

• A forthcoming book details a July 2025 situation room meeting where Vance called the Epstein files "a huge problem."
• Vance, FBI Director Cash Patel, and Dan Bongino all pushed for full release or maximum transparency.
• Trump was the one who refused, denied the real birthday letter, and called the whole thing a "hoax."
• After Trump decided, everyone fell in line and publicly defended him to keep their access.
• The same pattern played out on the Iran strikes — most advisers warned against it, Trump ignored them and listened to outside voices like Netanyahu.

Outlook: The Epstein cover-up keeps damaging Trump with his own base because it clashes with his swamp-draining brand, and it is unlikely to fade soon.