I’m back from my honeymoon and back in the Substack Live studio with Don Lemon for our weekly conversations. And wow, what a week to return to.
In this great discussion, we dive deep into the explosive fallout from President Trump’s refusal to release the Epstein Files, the Wall Street Journal’s bombshell reporting alleging Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump his name appears in the files, and what Trump’s panicked response indicates about what he may still be hiding.
We also touched on how Trump’s handling of this scandal is unraveling one of the central illusions of Trump’s appeal. For years, Trump and his allies claimed they would expose alleged “corrupt Democratic elites,” and the release of the Epstein Files became a key part of that promise. But now, his refusal to do so is exposing something else entirely—his close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and his true identity as one of the corrupt elites he warned about (I made this point on CNN on Monday).
This conversation goes deeper than just one scandal. Don and I talk about the psychological toll this is taking on Trump’s coalition, how conspiracies once used to unify the movement are now sowing doubt, and why the cracks in the MAGA coalition are starting to deepen. The cognitive dissonance could be becoming too big to ignore. MAGA was promised retribution against their enemies. Instead, they’re watching their “hero” shield the powerful and double down on protecting himself.
This all explains Trump’s desperate attempts to smear Barack Obama. It’s a panicked deflection.
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