ANNALS OF TRUMPI$TAN: Epstein case gives MAGA supporters a taste of 'The Five Stages of Trump' | Opinion. (Frank Cerabino, Palm Beach Post column, July 17, 2025)

Some of my best friends are Republicans.  URGENT Note to Trump supporters: this is not a "hoax." You were conned by a billionaire libidinous lout.  JEFFREY  EPSTEIN's pedophilia crimes were real.  EPSTEIN's victims were real.  The shady cast of characters who covered for EPSTEIN were real.  Be not afraid to speak your truth.  From Palm Beach Post:

Epstein case gives MAGA supporters a taste of 'The Five Stages of Trump' | Opinion

The Five Stages of Trump is playing out now in the current drama over releasing the information about his former Palm Beach pal, Jeffrey Epstein, and all the powerful men who shared in the depravity.

Frank Cerabino

Palm Beach Post

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If you’re familiar with Elisabeth Kubler-Ross you’ve probably heard of the five stages of grief.

Kubler-Ross was a Swiss psychiatrist who pioneered studies of how dying people coped with their condition. In these studies, she identified five stages of grief that the dying experience. 

They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. 

I’ve been thinking of Kubler-Ross lately because we seem to be experiencing a similar sort of coping going on in our country on a regular basis.

I think of it as the Five Stages of Trump. 

It’s a different kind of dying. Not actually a corporeal passing, but a slow gruesome death of honesty that seems to ooze from President Donald Trump as he fails to cope with his debilitating character deficiency in full public view.

The Five Stages of Trump is playing out now in the current drama over releasing the voluminous information about his former Palm Beach pal, Jeffrey Epstein, and all the powerful men who shared in Epstein’s depravity.

Phase No. 1: It’s going to happen

The voluminous files, videos and photos prosecutors compiled on Epstein and his powerful friends who sexually violated hundreds of underage teenage girls will finally be released.

During the campaign Trump said he had “no problem” in making the Epstein files public. This is a fleeting phase. 

Phase No. 2: I have nothing to do with it

Talk to Pam. It’s up to her. I don’t know anything. I just take recommendations from my people, who by the way, do fantastic work.

Opinion: AG Bondi closed the Epstein case because Trump wanted her to

Phase No. 3: Why are you still talking to me about this?

You’re a disgrace to keep asking me questions I don’t want to answer. I can’t believe you’re not talking to me about the election five years ago that I haven’t conceded yet.

Phase No. 4: You’re being very boring

Trump arrived at this phase this week, sidestepping questions about the Epstein case with the excuse that it’s “pretty boring stuff.”

After all, who wants to see justice for those former 9th-graders getting sexually violated by unprosecuted powerful men!

Bor-rrr–rring.

Phase No. 5: It’s all a hoax!

Have you noticed that all of Trump’s misdeeds end up being called hoaxes? It’s the final stop.

He chastised his MAGA base on Wednesday for falling into the liberal trap of wanting answers about the details, depth and still-undisclosed participants in Epstein’s sex crimes against minors.

“Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this “bull—t” hook, line and sinker … “ Trump posted on social media.

“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!” 

Sorry, MAGA “weaklings.” It looks like the con man you foolishly worshipped these past nine years has just cut you adrift. 

Welcome to your new pathway of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. 

Frank Cerabino is a news columnist with The Palm Beach Post, which is part of the USA Today Network-Florida. He can be reached at FCerabino@pbpost.com.

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