How is a man credibly accused of rape, sexual assault, and child abuse NOT disqualified to be President of the United States?
Not once—but twice?
Worse, Donald Trump doesn’t merely survive, he thrives—winning elections, appointing judges, and standing in the Oval Office while survivors scream into the void? This isn’t a question about his legal guilt. It’s about us—about a country so desensitized to cruelty and so obsessed with single-issue victories that character no longer matters—unless it’s your opponent’s.
Donald Trump partied with Jeffrey Epstein. They laughed together, socialized, and enjoyed the company of young women. Trump once said Epstein “likes beautiful women as much as I do—and many of them are on the younger side.”
In 2016, a federal civil complaint alleged that Trump raped a 13-year-old girl at one of Epstein’s Manhattan parties. The lawsuit was withdrawn after the alleged victim cited threats and fear for her safety. That doesn’t make it false. It makes it terrifying.
Meanwhile, Ghislaine Maxwell sits in prison for trafficking underage girls. To whom did she traffic them? The United States Justice Department, now led by Trump’s own appointee, Pam Bondi, says there’s no evidence of a client list. Really?
Epstein’s network operated for decades. Someone paid. Someone flew. Someone raped. But these ‘someones’ remain untouched. Bondi rode into office promising new revelations, fireworks about Epstein’s network, a client list (which scared the hell out of MAGA influencers) and a commitment to justice.
Instead, the public got redacted documents, half-truths, and a statement claiming that no client list exists. Bondi blamed ‘deep state holdovers’ and ‘archived classification errors.’ MAGA influencers erupted. Megyn Kelly, Steve Bannon, and others called her release a joke. Still, Trump defended Bondi, as he always defends those loyal to him, especially when they fail on purpose.
Meanwhile, the public keeps asking: Where are the names? Why aren’t Trump, Clinton, Dershowitz and others being questioned under oath? Why is it that only the traffickers are in jail—and not the clients?
And now, House Republicans have blocked a Democratic attempt to force the Justice Department to release all records related to Epstein as the House Rules Committee voted 6-5 to prevent the measure from moving to the full House for a vote. All Republicans on the committee opposed the the amendment except Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC). The amendment’s sponsor, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said the plan was to put Republicans on record for their coverup.
Trump’s political survival isn’t accidental. He leads not a movement of believers, but a movement of bargainers:
Trump’s survival isn’t based on innocence—it’s based on deals. He promises to give voters what they want on single issues, and in return, they promise to ignore everything else.
Many Jews overlook Charlottesville and Nick Fuentes because he ‘moved the embassy.’
Evangelicals forgive his un-Christian behavior because he gave them Roe.
Anti-immigration voters ignore civil rights abuses because he closed the border.
The deal is simple: Trump protects your issue. In return, you look away . . . at rape accusations . . . fascism . . . treason.
You look away when a president brags about grabbing women in private places or when he faces credible rape accusations. You ignore the fact that a jury convicted him of multiple felonies. You call victims liars. Or worse—you just stop caring.
Until Americans decide that morality matters more than tribal victory, voters will keep electing predators in patriot’s clothing. If you truly believe in the rule of law and the dignity of victims, then it’s time to stop making excuses—whether the accused wears a red tie or a blue one. Single issue voters know who Trump is. They just don’t care. Because he promises to produce for their issue. Everyone and everything else are collateral damage.
We’ve reached a point in American politics where the ability to horrify is not a disqualifier—it’s a strategy. Trump thrives not despite the cruelty, but because of it. It signals strength, vengeance, and dominance. It pleases his base. And this silence regarding the Epstein connection? It’s just one more reminder that, in this new America, power protects itself.
So, what, exactly, disqualifies a man from being president today?
Apparently, the only disqualifier is losing an election.
We made this possible. Not once, but twice. Trump exposed the rot— he didn’t create it. We’ve stopped asking what kind of man should lead a nation. We only ask what kind of man will hurt the people we dislike. And even that does not deter Donald Trump—the coup attempt is proof of that sad fact.
This is not about Trump. It’s about us.
Every group that supports Trump is driven by a fear of loss: status, rights, identity, safety—Trump offers them not policy, but revenge.
Americans are increasingly willing to sacrifice democratic norms, human decency, and the rule of law to protect that single issue they care about. And Trump, more than any political figure before him, has mastered the art of the Faustian bargain.
Moral flexibility is the new American religion. People know Trump is a vile human being. They’ve simply decided that it no longer matters.
Trump is not a fluke—he’s a mirror. If we still believe in democracy, justice, and decency, then the bargain must end. No more looking away. No more rationalizing monsters. If the price of winning is complicity, then what exactly do we win?
Mark M. Bello is an attorney and author of 9 Zachary Blake Legal Thrillers and other legal themed novels and children’s books. For more information, please visit https://www.markmbello.com
