LA protests a ‘coverup’ for Epstein files claims? Theory suggests Trump is ‘distracting’ voters

Violent protests have broken out in Los Angeles following ICE raids across the California county over the weekend

Published on: Jun 08, 2025 4:35 PM IST

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Violent protests have broken out in Los Angeles following ICE raids across the California county over the weekend. President Donald Trump sent the National Guard to restore order with 2000 deployed ‘for 60 days or at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense’, the White House said in a statement late Saturday.

Law enforcement officers stand guard as they face off with demonstrators during a protest in Los Angeles (AFP)

Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, said on X that Marines will also be mobilized ‘if violence continues’.

While the chaos in LA went through to Sunday, several locals and social media users speculated if there's a link to the protests and Elon Musk's Epstein files threat.

Locals on X pointed out that the protests in Los Angeles might be a ‘coverup’ to ‘distract’ voters from the Epstein files claims.

“Elon: Trump is in the Epstein files Next day: Los Angeles riots begin,” one person said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“LOS ANGELES IS A DISTRACTION. Elon was forced to take down his 1M+ likes re trump and Epstein, in congress the flagship tax bill is stalling out, and tariff confusion is spiking prices. DONT GET DISTRACTED BY KEY JANGLES,” another person tweeted.

What were Elon Musk's Epstein Files claims?

Musk recently deleted an explosive allegation linking Donald Trump with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein that he posted on social media during a vicious public fallout with the US president this week.

"Time to drop the really big bomb: (Trump) is in the Epstein files," Musk posted on his social media earlier this week as his growing feud with the president boiled over into a spectacularly public row.

“That is the real reason they have not been made public.” The Tesla chief, however, did not mention any specifics.

While social media users linked the LA protests to the Epstein files claim, there is no proof that the two are related.

The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday accused Democratic leaders in California, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, of contributing to violence.

“The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable and Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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