Trump’s Exploitation of Victims Exposes Ruthless Quest for Power

By any moral standard, using victims of human trafficking or sexual abuse for political leverage is reprehensible. But for Donald Trump, it’s a pattern. From the campaign trail to the White House—and now into his post-presidency ambitions—Trump has shown that no human story is too sacred, no suffering too sensitive, to be exploited for political gain.

During his time in office, Trump repeatedly claimed that human trafficking was a major crisis at the southern border. He painted horrific images of women with duct tape over their mouths being smuggled into the U.S. These stories—meant to shock and terrify—were used to push for a border wall and tougher immigration enforcement. But experts and law enforcement officials consistently said these claims were misleading at best and false at worst. Most trafficking doesn’t happen at illegal border crossings. Many victims are U.S. citizens, and many others enter the country legally.

So why push the lie? Because it worked. It scared people. It stirred up anger. And it allowed Trump to pose as the savior of vulnerable women and children—while using that same message to justify ripping families apart, denying asylum seekers, and rolling back visa protections for real victims.

Behind the scenes, the reality was darker. Trump’s administration made it harder for trafficking victims to receive help. T-visas, meant to protect victims who help law enforcement prosecute traffickers, were delayed or denied in record numbers. And if a victim’s application was rejected? They could be deported—back into the hands of abusers. Federal grants that helped survivors rebuild their lives or clear criminal records were slashed. Legal advocates and survivors warned: Trump’s policies made it more dangerous to come forward. But he didn’t care. The headlines served his purpose. The people did not.

And it doesn’t stop there. This callous pattern—of using vulnerable people for self-gain—becomes even more disturbing when you consider Trump’s long and tangled history with Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump and Epstein were friends. They partied together in Palm Beach and New York. Trump once described Epstein as a “terrific guy” who “likes beautiful women, many of them on the younger side.” Let that quote sink in.

Multiple reports place Trump aboard Epstein’s private jet. Photos place him at Epstein’s parties. Epstein survivors, including Maria Farmer, told federal agents that they tried to get Trump investigated as early as the 1990s. A former casino executive claims that Trump and Epstein once brought a 19-year-old onto a casino floor, prompting concerns from gaming regulators. And just recently, it was revealed that Trump once sent Epstein a birthday letter with a crude sexual drawing—something Trump is now trying to deny and sue the Wall Street Journal over.

This is not tabloid gossip. This is a pattern of behavior. A pattern of surrounding himself with exploiters. A pattern of using victims to build his image while cutting off the support systems they desperately need. A pattern of transactional empathy—where compassion is only shown if the cameras are rolling.

And when he's backed into a corner? He lashes out. He sues. He deflects. He calls everyone else liars or “troublemakers.” That’s not strength. That’s cowardice hiding behind bluster.

What does this say about Trump as a person? Everything. It says he’s willing to manipulate trauma. It says he’ll spin lies around real suffering to get votes. It says protecting his own power and image comes before truth, before justice, before human dignity. And if someone’s pain can be packaged to fit his message—even better.

Donald Trump doesn’t care about victims. He cares about the narrative. He doesn’t care about justice. He cares about control. He doesn’t care about right or wrong. He cares about winning—no matter the cost.

That’s not just bad leadership. That’s a broken moral compass. And in a nation that claims to value life, truth, and justice, it should matter.

Sources:

Bernstein, Nina. “Trump’s Immigration Policies Have Slowed the Fight Against Human Trafficking.” The New York Times, 4 Aug. 2019.

Gamboa, Suzanne. “Trump Cuts Grants That Help Trafficking Survivors.” NBC News, 2 Aug. 2019.

Lind, Dara. “Trump's VOICE Office Uses Victims to Demonize Immigrants.” Vox, 27 Apr. 2017.

Lopez, German. “Trump’s Human Trafficking Claims Aren’t True.” Vox, 4 Feb. 2019.

Polaris. “Human Trafficking Is Not What Trump Says It Is.” Polaris Project, 2019.

Shear, Michael D. “Trump Uses Immigrant Victims to Justify His Agenda.” The New York Times, 30 Jan. 2018.

Valverde, Miriam. “Trump’s Border Trafficking Stories Are Mostly Fabricated.” PolitiFact, 31 Jan. 2019.

“Epstein Victim Twice Urged FBI to Investigate Trump.” The Daily Beast, 2025.

“Ex-Casino Boss Claims Trump and Epstein Brought Underage Girls to Casino Floor.” People Magazine, 2025.

“Trump Sent Epstein Crude Letter for 50th Birthday.” The Times, 2025.

“In Shock: Epstein’s Ex-Girlfriend Again Accuses Trump of Misconduct.” News.com.au, 2025.

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