"Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents," Donald Trump declared at his 2025 inauguration. Hold that thought.

Trump is now using the immense power of the state to distract from a scandal that could bring him down. That is, his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, a fiend who sexually trafficked girls young enough to be in junior high.

Watch how Trump uses the power of the state to change the subject. Note how his weaponizing of government to go after foes — or just attract attention — escalates into sheer spectacle.

It's no longer just insulting celebrities. No, he needs the big guns to force attention away from deeper questions about his close dealings with Epstein. He needs to send the National Guard into cities that didn't want them, bomb boats that may or may not be carrying drug smugglers and send immigrants who may or may not be undocumented to third-country dungeons.

News channels have jumped all over FCC chairman Brendan Carr's mafioso threats against news media that don't do Trump's bidding. He apparently intimidated ABC/Walt Disney into firing Jimmy Kimmel after the late-night comedian made comments at odds with state-sanctioned opinion. Carr used to make fiery defenses of free speech.

This is a serious story, but critics shouldn't let Trump lead them astray from the story that undoubtedly terrifies him: his relationship with the predator who provided rich men with underage sexual partners.

Ignore Carr. He is a toady, a hollow man barren of principle. And did Attorney General Pam Bondi claim that the state could investigate businesses that refused to print memorial vigil posters for Charlie Kirk? Yes, but not gonna happen.

The burning question isn't whether Trump knew Epstein, liked Epstein or even partied with him. We know he did all those things, but those activities are not necessarily criminal.

The question is whether he participated in the sexual abuse of minors. Proof that Trump availed himself of Epstein's young adolescents has yet to be produced. But evidence that he may have is piling up.

Many questions could be answered in the release of all the Epstein files. Trump used to call for that, but when the possibility drew near, he invented a new story: The files are part of Democratic hoax.

That didn't get much traction. Recent polls show at least 80% of the public — including independents and many Republicans — wants all the documents released.

Another hint that Trump may have been deeply involved is his treatment of Ghislaine Maxwell, who recruited and groomed Epstein's victims. Convicted of the sex trafficking of minors, among the most serious federal crimes, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Why was she summarily moved to a low-security facility that offered Pilates?

Upon Maxwell's arrest in 2020, Trump responded, "I wish her well, frankly." He clearly wants her on his side.

How can Trump explain the affectionate birthday letter he sent to Epstein? It contained typewritten text, a drawn outline of a naked woman and the signature "Donald" written in a way that resembled pubic hair. The letter was reported by The Wall Street Journal, a conservative Murdoch-controlled publication that treads carefully.

We can expect Trump's diversions to become ever more flamboyant as information dribbles out about Epstein's clientele. There's no accounting for the elastic moral standards of Trump's most slavish devotees, but even some of them might have trouble with the sexual abuse of 14-year-olds.

Countering the immense power of the state to distract the public is not easy. But we must. We should ask what ought to concern us more, comedians or sex traffickers of young teens. You choose.

Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators webpage at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Harold Mendoza at Unsplash