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Prank Republican convention website redirects visitors to Epstein files

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A spoof website that appeared in Google results for the Republican Party’s 2026 midterm convention redirected visitors to the U.S. Justice Department’s Epstein files site.
  • Republicans denounced the site and directed users to GOPConvention.com, while Democratic lawmakers used the incident to renew criticism of the administration’s handling of the files.
  • Internet Archive records show the site had previously displayed Dallas convention imagery and collected contact information, while noting in small print that it was unofficial.

A spoof website posing as the online home of the Republican Party’s upcoming midterm convention in Dallas sent visitors somewhere Republicans would rather avoid: the U.S. Justice Department’s files on Jeffrey Epstein.

For hours on Friday, gopdallas2026.com appeared at the top of Google results, with preview text inviting users to “discover details about the 2026 RNC Midterm Convention”. Clicking the link instead redirected visitors to the Justice Department website containing files about Epstein, the sex offender who died in 2019 while facing sex-trafficking charges.

FAKE NEWS!

· Republican PartyThe party rejected reports that the spoof website was the official convention site.

The Republican Party quickly rejected the site on social media and pointed users to GOPConvention.com. “FAKE NEWS!” the party wrote, responding to reports that the spoof site represented the real convention page.

Something funky is going on

· Jake LahutThe reporter commented on the unusual website and its search ranking.

Democratic lawmakers seized on the prank to revive criticism of the administration’s handling of the Epstein files. The release was mandated within 30 days under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but critics have accused Trump administration officials of mishandling the process. Some records released by the Justice Department appear heavily redacted, critics say, while others expose victims’ identities. President Donald Trump, who is scheduled to speak at the two-day convention, has also faced scrutiny over his past relationship with Epstein. Trump says that relationship ended decades ago.

Representative Ted Lieu of California shared a reporter’s message saying “something funky is going on”. Lieu replied, “I just tried the website and the below description, as of right now, is accurate. Sort of awesome.” Internet Archive snapshots show that the site once carried a background image of Dallas’s American Airlines Center and asked visitors to submit contact details for “exclusive updates”. A small disclaimer at the bottom said it was not the official convention site.

I just tried the website and the below description, as of right now, is accurate. Sort of awesome.

· Ted LieuThe Democratic representative reacted to the website’s redirection to the Epstein files.
About this summary

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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