Epstein Scandal Leaves Some Young Trump Voters Feeling Betrayed

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by Nathan Taylor Pemberton

February 20, 2026

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The Epstein scandal has left some young Trump voters feeling betrayed and disillusioned, particularly among Gen Z conservatives who initially supported President Trump as a disruptive outsider intent on dismantling the political establishment. These individuals, drawn to Trump’s promise of sweeping change, are now questioning their faith in him after observing what they perceive as a lack of seriousness and obfuscation in his administration’s response to the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files. The revelation that Trump and other high-ranking officials were connected to Epstein has deepened their sense of betrayal, with some describing it as a full-circle moment that undermines their belief in the Make America Great Again movement. Kai Schwemmer, a 23-year-old student at Brigham Young University and member of the Utah Federation of College Republicans, is among those who feel let down. He and others like him voted for Trump in 2024 as

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Originally published on NYT Homepage on 2/20/2026