President Donald Trump has repeatedly characterized the controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files as a fabricated hoax orchestrated by Democrats. During multiple statements, including a press conference in the Oval Office, Trump described the Epstein files issue as a "big hoax" and a "scam," asserting that it was designed to damage him politically. He criticized Republicans who have sought answers about the files, calling them "stupid" and "foolish" for falling into what he described as a Democratic trap. Trump also suggested that accusations against him related to Epstein are false and part of a manufactured distraction, accusing the press of pushing a misleading narrative. In contrast, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson publicly rejected Trump's characterization, stating that the Epstein case is "not a hoax."