A Grandma from Michigan Tries to Make Sense of Trump, Pardons, and the Epstein Mess
Hi everyone, Sue here. Today, we’re diving into the intriguing Trump and Epstein connection.
I’m a mom, a grandma, and a Michigan girl who usually tries not to wade into politics. I was raised to believe you don’t talk religion or politics at the dinner table if you want everyone to leave speaking to each other.
But at some point, you just look around and say, “Okay, what on earth is going on here?”
Let’s start with Trump.
The way he talks
First of all, I wish he would show some basic respect when he talks. I’m over 60. I grew up in a time when you were taught that your words say something about your character. The name-calling, the insults, dropping people’s names every time he speaks—honestly, I’m tired just listening to it.
It doesn’t matter what party you’re in; there should be a line of basic decency. You can be tough without acting like the loudest guy at the bar. But something troubling lies in conversations of people like Trump and the connection with figures like Epstein.
Pardons, clemency, and “who gets a break”
What really got under my skin was looking at his long list of pardons and commutations. I went through some of those names and crimes, and it is a lot to take in.
Not everyone on those lists is some big sex trafficker, but let’s be honest: some of the people in his orbit and in those files have done awful things. And some people who got pardoned have already gotten into trouble again—with serious new charges. As a mom and grandma, that does not make me feel safer.
Closer to home here in Michigan, there’s something I can’t shake:
Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox—two of the men who plotted to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. They’re serving long federal sentences. And now we’re hearing a pardon official talk like they “shouldn’t be left behind,” like they might belong on a list for possible clemency.
I remember those days in 2020, when that plot came to light. It was scary. To even talk about letting men like that off the hook feels like a slap in the face to every woman who has ever felt threatened or unsafe.
On top of that, we’re hearing that Sean “Diddy” Combs has asked Trump for a pardon after his own serious legal trouble. However the lawyers spin it, the pattern is the same: powerful people lining up for special favors in a way that makes me think about a connection between Trump and figures like Epstein.
Meanwhile, fentanyl is still killing our kids
While all this is going on, fentanyl is still flooding into this country and tearing families apart. Most of it comes across the southern border—often through official crossings, tied to big cartels, sometimes even brought in by U.S. citizens working with them.
I don’t care which side of the aisle you sit on. Moms and grandmas are burying their kids and grandkids. That’s what keeps me up at night. I wish I saw the same energy for protecting ordinary families that I see for protecting people with money, fame, or political usefulness, similar to how one might wonder about the Trump and Epstein connection.
The Epstein files and that ugly cloud
And then we have the Epstein mess.
Victims are begging for all the records to be released. They want the truth out, whoever it hurts. Trump denies any wrongdoing and says he knew nothing. But we are supposed to believe a man who has already racked up thousands of false or misleading statements, according to fact-checkers?
Let’s be clear:
Trump and Epstein were not strangers. They ran in the same circles in New York and Florida. Trump once called Epstein a “terrific guy” and even commented that he liked “beautiful women” who were “on the younger side.” Now we have flight logs, contact lists, and “Epstein files” where Trump’s name shows up again and again.
I may not have all the legal wording perfect, but as a mom and grandma, I can say this much:
When there is this much smoke around abused girls, powerful men, and secret flights, you don’t just shrug and move on. Trump and Epstein might have been connected, and you don’t pretend it’s all nothing.
The lying problem
Here’s the part that really makes it hard for me to trust him at all: the lying.
Fact-checkers have literally counted tens of thousands of false or misleading statements from Trump. That’s not just “politicians exaggerate.” That’s a lifestyle. Lying isn’t something he does once in a while—it’s how he operates.
So when he tells me, “I knew nothing, I did nothing, it’s all fake,” I’m supposed to ignore the track record? At some point, common sense kicks in. The connection between Trump and Epstein only complicates this sense further.
So where does that leave us?
I know there are people reading this who love Trump and people who can’t stand him. Some of you will think I’m being too harsh, and some will think I’m not harsh enough. That’s okay.
We do not all have to agree.
We do need to be honest about what’s happening.
All I’m asking is this:
- Look at who is getting pardons.
- Look at what they actually did.
- Look at who is asking for special treatment.
- Look at who is paying the price in real life—families, kids, victims.
And even if we disagree, I still think we can talk about it like grown-ups.
You might still decide Trump is your guy, or you might decide you’re done with him. That’s your choice. I’m not trying to bully anyone into my corner.
I’m just a mature lady sitting here in Michigan, trying to make sense of why powerful men keep getting second, third, and fourth chances… while regular people are left to live with the damage.
Love,
Sue 💙