Thank you for watching! In the face of unrelenting disinformation and authoritarian actions, clear truth-telling and independent media are a necessity. If you value pro-democracy journalism, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to my newsletter. Paid subscribers empower this work and gain access to exclusive benefits. Your support makes a difference.
In this new conversation, Don Lemon and I break down the key revelations from the House’s Epstein document release, what they suggest about Trump’s long-denied knowledge of Epstein’s abuse, and why the White House is scrambling to stop the full Epstein files from being released. These are Epstein’s own words, and they flatly contradict Trump’s public story.
We walk through the key emails: the 2011 exchange where Epstein calls Trump “the dog that hasn’t barked” and says a victim “spent hours at my house with him,” and the 2019 message where Epstein tells author Michael Wolff, “Of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.” We talk about how those emails undercut Ghislaine Maxwell’s earlier claim that she’d never seen Trump at Epstein’s house, and what it means that Deputy AG Todd Blanche’s interview with Maxwell was less a search for truth and more like an effort to generate exonerating soundbites for Trump.
From there, we zoom out. Don and I discuss why this isn’t just another Trump scandal, but a direct hit on the moral narrative MAGA has been selling for years—casting themselves as the crusaders against shadowy pedophile rings while their own leader is now tied even closer to one of the most infamous sex traffickers in modern history. We talk about the political risk for Republicans who vote against releasing the full Epstein files, what it will mean in 2026 and 2028 to be on record as “protecting” Epstein’s secrets, and why even some on the right are already saying, “MAGA is dead.”
Finally, we look at whether this could truly be the beginning of the end for Trump’s movement. Even if Trump manages to avoid impeachment or indictment over these revelations, the combination of an affordability crisis and a growing perception that he’s covering up for himself and others involved with Epstein is politically toxic.
As we say in the episode, this alone, in any other administration, would be a presidency-ending scandal.
The question now isn’t whether the emails are damning. They are. It’s whether these revelations will be enough to pressure a bipartisan veto-proof majority to force the release of the Epstein files. The public deserves to know exactly what Trump knew, when he knew it, what potential nefarious activity he may have participated in, and why he’s tried so hard to keep these files buried.
Watch the full conversation, and if you haven’t already, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to support this work.
If you value Don Lemon’s independent journalism, blunt truth-telling, and his relentless live coverage across multiple platforms, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber to The Don Lemon Show here on Substack - and subscribe on YouTube.
