White House Roundtable with Far-Right Influencers on Epstein Files Sparks Backlash

News
Addie Andrus
March 1, 2025
11 minutes read

(The White House/Youtube)

A White House roundtable featuring far-right social media influencers—touted by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as among the recipients of the so-called “Epstein Files”—drew criticism, even from some within the MAGA movement, on Thursday.

Leavitt announced that she had gathered a team of right-wing influencers, including “DC Draino,” Chaya Raichik, the creator of the anti-LGBTQ “Libs of TikTok” account, and Pizzagate promoter Mike Cernovich. The group received select documents related to the prosecution of deceased child sex trafficker and wealth manager Jeffrey Epstein, told Axios.

Leavitt used the occasion to take a swipe at mainstream media. “Great meeting today with some very influential social media content creators!” Leavitt posted on X. “These folks have larger followings than most mainstream media ‘reporters.’ The media landscape has changed, and we are fully embracing it here at the Trump White House!”

Her post, accompanied by pictures of the influencers, was met with predictable mockery from journalists. CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski commented, “It’s all the people that randomly have been put into the ‘for you’ tab”—a reference to how tech billionaire Elon Musk’s X algorithm seemingly boosts right-wing influencers.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a briefing at the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in Washington. Evan Vucci / The Associated Press

Leavitt, who recently barred The Associated Press from White House briefings for not acknowledging Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico and has pushed for journalists’ access to be contingent on administration approval, likely anticipated widespread support from the MAGA movement.

It’s all the people that randomly have been put into the “for you” tab https://t.co/TAL4cswSY7
— Andy Kaczynski (@KFILE) February 28, 2025

However, many on the right, already frustrated by what they perceive as a lack of transparency in the Epstein files release, were unimpressed with the event. “It was a photo opp,” wrote Trump ally and failed congressional candidate Laura Loomer. “Influencers posed for pictures with cheap binders given to them by @PamBondi who still doesn’t want to explain why she never held Epstein accountable even though she was the Attorney General of Florida the entire time he was raping young girls in Florida.”

It was a photo opp. Influencers posed for pictures with cheap binders given to them by @PamBondi who still doesn’t want to explain why she never held Epstein accountable even though she was the Attorney General of Florida the entire time he was raping young girls in Florida. https://t.co/e7nvkEJLGW
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) February 27, 2025

“There are some hard feelings among MAGA influencers who weren’t invited to today’s WH briefing with content creators, where they received ‘Epstein binders,’” wrote The Washington Post’s Natalie Allison. She also noted that right-wing journalist Raheem Kassam reported the meeting was a “cluster–” after Bondi distributed outdated Epstein-related information.

There are some hard feelings among MAGA influencers who weren’t invited to today’s WH briefing with content creators, where they received “Epstein binders.” @RaheemKassam reports the meeting was a “clusterfuck” after Bondi distributed stale Epstein info. https://t.co/z64o2r9CpJ https://t.co/sryYNmqoNu
— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) February 27, 2025

The backlash underscores ongoing divisions within the MAGA movement, as dissatisfaction grows over the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files and its engagement with social media influencers.