President Trump is being accused of engaging in “projection” with his Christmas message to “sleazebags” about their connections to Jeffrey Epstein. 

Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday evening, “Merry Christmas to all, including the many Sleazebags who loved Jeffrey Epstein, gave him bundles of money, went to his Island, attended his parties, and thought he was the greatest guy on earth, only to ‘drop him like a dog’ when things got too HOT, falsely claimed they had nothing to do with him, didn’t know him, said he was a disgusting person, and then blame, of course, President Donald J. Trump, who was actually the only one who did drop Epstein, and long before it became fashionable to do so.”

“When their names get brought out in the ongoing Radical Left Witch Hunt (plus one lowlife ‘Republican,’ Massie!), and it is revealed that they are Democrats all, there will be a lot of explaining to do, much like there was when it was made public that the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax was a fictitious story – a total Scam – and had nothing to do with ‘TRUMP,’” he said. 

Mr. Trump concluded his Christmas message, writing, “The same losers are at it again, only this time so many of their friends, mostly innocent, will be badly hurt and reputationally tarnished. But sadly, that’s the way it is in the World of Corrupt Democrat Politics!!! Enjoy what may be your last Merry Christmas!”

Liberal commentators on X suggested the president’s post “projection.”

“This could be in a psych textbook under the heading ‘Projection,’” one user said.

A liberal commentator, Wajahat Ali, wrote, “Old man is talking about himself publicly again.” 

“A clear conscience doesn’t speak like this. And that’s all I have to say about this lecherous man on this fine Christmas night,” said author Jennifer Erin Valent. 

While liberal users saw the post as “projection,” conservatives said it was a sign Mr. Trump had outsmarted Democrats. A conservative journalist, Eric Daughtery, wrote on X, “Epstein Files just BACKFIRED on Democrats. President Trump dropped a nuke tonight. Trump says DEMOCRAT NAMES are about to come out from the Epstein Files … FAFO!”

The Trump Administration is facing criticism for its delay in releasing files related to the Epstein case, as mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Mr. Trump has sought to deflect the criticism for his administration’s handling of the files, saying that the Epstein case is a “Democrat hoax.” In the summer, he said he did not “understand why the Jeffrey Epstein case would be of interest to anybody.”

Mr. Trump insists reporters should focus on Democrats’ connection to Epstein, and he has tried to distance himself from his past association with Epstein. The two men used to have a friendship, but Mr. Trump says it ended before Epstein was indicted for soliciting prostitution in 2006. 

However, there are questions about whether Mr. Trump was aware of Epstein’s trafficking operation before the end of their friendship. 

The Department of Justice has not accused Mr. Trump of a crime, and a report by the New York Times also did not find evidence implicating him in a crime. The Times’ report raised questions about whether Mr. Trump was aware of Epstein’s operations before 2006. It said that Mr. Trump attended several of Epstein’s parties and was introduced to women who later accused the financier of abusing them. 

The Times said none of them accused the president of wrongdoing, but the report noted that at two of the parties Mr. Trump attended, Epstein directed one woman to have sex with male guests.