A new poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos shows a strong public perception in the US: a majority of citizens believe that rich and influential people rarely face justice, following the publication of millions of documents related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the survey, 69% of respondents said that the statement “the Epstein files show that powerful people in the US are rarely held accountable for their actions” describes their view very well or extremely well. Another 17% described this perception as partly accurate, while only 11% disagreed.
The results show that this distrust of elites is almost bipartisan: over 80% of Republicans and Democrats say they share the same attitude, at least to a certain extent.
Documents released by the US Department of Justice have exposed Epstein's connections to prominent figures in politics, business and academia. Meanwhile, some fallout has been seen in the corporate world: executives from Goldman Sachs and Hyatt Hotels have resigned, while others remain in powerful positions.
The scandal has remained a sensitive political issue even for President Donald Trump, who has denied any knowledge of Epstein's criminal activities and said he had severed ties with him in the early 2000s. The documents also show other contacts with public figures, including Howard Lutnick and Mehmet Oz, without allegations of legal wrongdoing against them.
The poll highlights a broader reality: Beyond the Epstein dossier, a large portion of Americans appear to have a deep distrust of the accountability system when it comes to the political and economic elite. While public opinion is almost unanimous about the perception of impunity, political divisions emerge when it comes to how long the debate over this affair should continue.
