The release of millions of documents tied to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has sent ripples through politics, the corporate world and the British monarchy as new details illuminate the breadth of his social connections. The disclosures, which on Thursday preceded the arrest of King Charles' brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have prompted widespread public reaction in the United States.
A nationwide Reuters/Ipsos online poll conducted Feb. 13-16 captured Americans' views on the so-called Epstein files and found notable levels of awareness and skepticism about official transparency.
Awareness and overall impressions
- Forty-two percent of respondents said they had heard "a lot" about the Epstein files, while 47% reported they had heard "a little." About one in 10 Americans said they had not heard anything at all.
- When presented with the statement that the Epstein files "show that powerful people in the U.S. are rarely held accountable for their actions," 69% said that phrase captured their views "very well" or "extremely well."
- More than half of respondents - 53% - said their views were described "very" or "extremely" well by the statement that the Epstein files "have lowered my trust in the country's political and business leaders."
Concerns about withheld information
A substantial majority, 75%, told pollsters they believe the U.S. government is still hiding information about Epstein's alleged clients. The files concern Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges that included soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Partisan divide on whether to move on
Views diverged sharply along party lines about whether the country should stop focusing on the files. Two-thirds of Republican respondents (67%) said the statement "it's time for the country to move on from talking about the Epstein files" described their thinking at least somewhat well. By contrast, only 21% of Democrats said that statement captured their views at least somewhat well.
Poll methodology
The Reuters/Ipsos online poll gathered responses from 1,117 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
As the releases continue to reverberate, the poll underscores both the level of public awareness about the disclosures and deep partisan differences over whether the matter should remain a focal point for national attention.