It usually works the other way around, but the Epstein files furor now has the White House turned so inside-out that bewildered aides have been quietly reaching out to CNN for clarity over what on earth is going on in their own administration.

From claiming Barack Obama was born in Kenya to accusing Ted Cruz’s dad of involvement in the JFK assassination, Donald Trump has always loved hyping conspiracy theories for political gain, and the Jeffrey Epstein case was no exception.