Fake GOP Convention Site Redirects to Epstein Files, Amplified by Lincoln Project

A website falsely claiming to be the official Republican Midterm Convention portal was recently discovered redirecting visitors to the Justice Department's webpage containing records related to Jeffrey Epstein. The unauthorized site, gopdallas2026.com, briefly dominated Google search results for the upcoming convention before it was taken offline by Friday afternoon, September 4th or 5th, 2026, according to Ground News and The Washington Examiner.

The prank comes just days before the Republican Party's first midterm convention, scheduled for September 9-10 in Dallas, Texas, at the American Airlines Center. The real convention website is gopconvention.com.

What was the fake website and where did it lead?

The fake website used the domain gopdallas2026.com and, instead of providing convention information, redirected users directly to justice.gov/epstein, the Justice Department's official library of Jeffrey Epstein files. Crooks and Liars reported on September 5, 2026, that this impostor site was Google's highest-ranked result for searches related to the Republican Midterm Convention.

Who discovered and amplified the redirect?

The redirect was discovered and reported by multiple outlets, including The Independent (US) and Ground News. The Lincoln Project, a political action committee founded by former Republicans who oppose President Trump, amplified the redirect late Friday morning, drawing further attention to the deceptive website.

What is the context of the Republican Midterm Convention?

This event marks the Republican Party's inaugural midterm convention, a significant gathering as the party aims to retain control of Congress. Approximately 20,000 visitors are expected to attend, with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance scheduled as key attendees. The timing of the redirect is particularly notable, as President Trump's past ties to Jeffrey Epstein have been an "ongoing irritant" in what is expected to be a pivotal election year, creating a "headache for Republicans," as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Is there a related exhibit in Dallas?

Yes, an exhibit titled the "Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room," curated by the Institute for Primary Facts, is scheduled to arrive in Dallas during the convention. This exhibit, displaying thousands of volumes of federal Epstein records, will be in Dallas from Tuesday, September 7, through September 11. David Garrett, executive director of the Institute for Primary Facts, told the Washington Examiner that the timing of the exhibit's arrival was deliberate.

What happens next regarding the convention and the fake site?

The Republican Midterm Convention is scheduled to proceed as planned in Dallas on September 9-10, 2026. The "Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room" exhibit will also proceed with its scheduled run from September 7-11, 2026. As of current reports, there is no information on official investigations or further actions regarding the creation of the fake website beyond its removal. The identity of the individual or group behind the fake website remains unconfirmed. While the Republican National Committee (RNC) has "pinned the blame on Democrats," Crooks and Liars stated that "No one is quite sure who put up gopdallasconvention2026.com (possibly the Lincoln Project)." The exact duration the fake site was actively tricking users before dominating searches and being removed is not fully detailed across reports.