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Donald Trump is trying to shift public attention away from the controversy surrounding the Epstein case by turning his focus to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. After the attorney general announced the closure of the Epstein investigation, saying there was no secret list of powerful figures and no conspiracy, Trump moved to criticize Powell, likely hoping to redirect media and public scrutiny. Hes blaming Powell for problems with interest rates and the economy, but it seems like a distraction something to change the conversation.Still, this move doesnt appear to be working well with his most devoted followers. Trump has built a movement MAGA largely rooted in a dramatic story of good versus evil. Many people within that movement have followed conspiracy theories like QAnon, which portray Trump as a hero fighting a secret global cabal of corrupt elites, including politicians, media figures, and business leaders. According to the story, Trump was supposed to reveal the truth about Epstein and take down these evil forces. But when Attorney General Pam Bondi publicly stated that there was no conspiracy and no hidden list, it shattered that storyline for many believers.The reaction was severe. Some followers felt betrayed. To them, this wasnt just political; it was spiritual and moral. The QAnon narrative had convinced many that Trump was chosen by God to expose unimaginable evil including the abuse of children by powerful elites. When the government said there was nothing more to the Epstein case, it felt to some like the church suddenly announcing that Jesus never rose from the dead. Thats how deeply the QAnon prophecy was embedded in parts of the MAGA worldview.What makes it more complicated is that many people, including media figures and influencers, have gained fame and money by promoting this narrative. Some of these same individuals now hold roles in Trumps administration people like Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, who once publicly supported theories about Trump being a kind of savior. They backed the decision to close the Epstein case, but as the backlash from the MAGA community grew, they reportedly got nervous. Bongino is even rumored to be planning an exit, fearing the fallout. These figures now have to choose between staying loyal to Trump or maintaining their image with the base that gave them influence and wealth in the first place.This has led to a deepening split within the MAGA movement. For years, Trump has ridden a wave of conspiracies starting with the lie that Barack Obama wasnt born in the U.S., to Pizzagate, to false claims about election fraud. Along the way, a tightly-knit network of far-right media and operatives helped amplify his message and protect him from scandal. Together, they were able to minimize or distract from almost any accusation, even Trumps efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election by force.But now, cracks are showing. With the Epstein case closed and no grand reveal delivered, Trumps base is starting to ask questions. Some are questioning his motives. Some feel let down. Trump has tried to fall back on his usual tactic blaming the media and calling them the enemy of the people. He knows many of his followers believe that journalists are part of a vast, evil network. But this time, it may not be enough.If Trump removes Powell as head of the Federal Reserve, it could hurt the economy. It might raise borrowing costs and make everyday life more expensive. While many of his followers might not criticize that directly because doing so openly can be seen as disloyal they might start to express their frustration in other, coded ways. People are now finding acceptable ways, inside the MAGA belief system, to criticize Trump. For example, its risky in MAGA circles to complain about Trumps policies or spending, but its now becoming acceptable to be angry at him over Epstein. In that way, criticism is beginning to sneak through the cracks.Some conservatives came to MAGA because of real concerns, like fighting human trafficking. Many of them see Trumps dismissal of the Epstein story as a personal betrayal. Those Report Human Trafficking signs in public places, like bathrooms, are often the result of their activism. They thought Trump was their ally. Now theyre not so sure.Recent polling supports this shift. According to Reuters, about 69% of people think the government is hiding information about Epsteins powerful clients. Among Republicans, nearly two-thirds 62% agree. That suggests this doubt is not limited to the most extreme conspiracy believers.For a long time, the MAGA movement has refused to blame Trump for any of his actions. They saw him not as a flawed man, but as a victim someone targeted by the same corrupt elites they hated. Even after being convicted of multiple crimes, Trump was still seen as the one person fighting a bigger, darker enemy. His supporters believed that once re-elected, he would finally bring the true criminals the ones supposedly behind Epstein and other conspiracies to justice.This belief was reflected in statements like one from Donald Trump Jr., who questioned how his father could be convicted while no one from Epsteins list had even been named. It fed into a larger pattern where Trump and his allies try to shift attention away from what hes done by pointing to other supposed scandals that they claim are being covered up.But now, by trying to quietly walk away from the Epstein case, Trump has put himself in an awkward spot. If he says theres nothing there, then the whole narrative his followers believed in that he was the one to finally reveal the truth falls apart. He wants people to think this is just another example of his enemies attacking him unfairly. But if he lumps Epstein in with past scandals like the Russia investigation, it starts to look like maybe none of it was real. And that risks revealing that the entire MAGA movement may have been based on a lie.Some former supporters are saying as much. Nick Fuentes, a far-right figure who used to back Trump, now says that MAGA was a scam and that Trumps followers were fooled. Hes not alone in that sentiment. A growing number of people are starting to see MAGA not as a movement of truth and justice, but as a con. A performance. A grift.At its core, the MAGA movement has always been based on belief. Belief in Trump as a hero. Belief in conspiracies. Belief that things are worse than they look, and that only Trump can fix them. But belief only works as long as people ignore the reality in front of them. Now, for the first time, many of those believers are beginning to trust their own eyes.

Trump has spent years dodging consequences. But every con, no matter how big or carefully built, eventually comes to an end.