The Epstein case has, over time, taken the public spotlight, especially among many supporters of President Donald Trump. Jeffrey Epstein –– an affluent financier, registered sex offender and convicted sex trafficker –– died by suicide in 2019. Thereafter, many Trump supporters believed this was part of the deep state conspiracy theory –– the belief that an elitist group is behind national policy decision-making in the U.S. government –– along with the existence of an Epstein client list. After the Department of Justice released a memo in August stating that no further case details would be released, many Trump supporters were upset with the administration’s lack of transparency and urgency on the matter.
Trump supporters’ unwavering demands for the full disclosure of the Jeffrey Epstein files, along with their persistent demands for harsh immigration crackdowns, reveal the emergence of a new social justice warrior group on the far right.
Despite Trump calling his supporters who request such demands “foolish’ and ‘stupid,’” these new right-wing social justice warriors, along with Republican leaders, continue pressuring the Trump administration for full disclosure on the Epstein case. Michael Flynn, a right-wing influencer, avid Trump supporter and, briefly, the United States National Security Advisor, pleaded with Trump on X to release the files for “trust to be reestablished between our federal government and the people it is designed to serve.”
It got so bad that even House Speaker Mike Johnson as well as Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) had to lecture Trump on the importance of having transparency in a presidential administration. Even popular MAGA podcasters, such as Jack Posobiec, Charlie Kirk and Benny Johnson, publicly demanded further details on the case to be released. The undying commitment of Trump supporters regarding the Epstein case not only showcases the group’s concerns over human trafficking, but it also shows the base’s concerns over the undermining of democratic institutions by covert, elitist groups.
Now, you may be telling yourself that Trump supporters are not the new social justice warriors (SJWs) because they are not endorsing liberal progressive orthodoxy. However, just as with the creation of all great, conservative pejorative terms, we can expand the term to be more inclusive –– we know that’s what conservatives love –– through semantic bleaching. Through this process, the term SJW now includes any political ideology group that advocates for the advancement of social justice issues, regardless of the specificity of those issues. When we adopt this new definition, Trump supporters can most definitely be classified as SJWs.
Immigration, in addition to the Epstein case, is another social justice issue Trump supporters are so adamant about. Take, for instance, the fears Trump supporters had when they heard Trump’s proposed non-enforcement of deportations for undocumented farm and hotel workers. The fear Trump supporters had was mainly from the implied amnesty these drawbacks could result in. Of course, amnesty is a devastating policy program for conservatives because of the threat it would pose to their “white” America.
Instead, the massive persecution and detainment of undocumented immigrants is the solution for Trump supporters. Even though American citizens show low interest in “labor-intensive agriculture and food production roles,” and even though massive deportations could cost taxpayers up to a trillion dollars, Trump supporters insist that these jobs should be handed to current American citizens only.
If we are to live in a society where everyone has the same opportunities, it is only fair for Trump supporters to be employed in the agricultural and food sectors. I mean, just look at the harsh working conditions of the agricultural sector. Trump supporters clearly want to work in a field that lacks pesticide training, heat illness prevention plans and consistent clean drinking water.
Whether it be the social implications of the Epstein files, the deep state conspiracy or immigration, time and time again, Trump supporters have shown themselves to be more like social justice warriors than progressives. Seeing how good conservatives are at creating pejoratives, I doubt it will take them long to embrace the term in their base.
Alex Alejo is an Opinion Intern for the summer 2025 quarter. He can be reached at aalejosa@uci.edu.
Edited by Joshua Gonzales
