[honk]

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/22/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-donald-trump-interview-00520352

If you believe this, you are a moron. Maxwell has already been given a carrot in the form of a sudden transfer to a cushy Club Fed, and she's clearly angling for a pardon for Trump. Of course she's going to say that Trump is entirely innocent. Also, on a related subject:

https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2025/08/donald-trump-says-people-are-named-in-epstein-files-who-dont-deserve-to-be-its-a-democratic-hoax.html

While the story is ridiculous, as is everything Trump says in it, the most interesting part of it to me is this:

“You’ve got a lot of people that could be mentioned in those files that don’t deserve to be,” he added. “Because (Epstein) knew everybody in Palm Beach. I don’t know anything about that, but I have said to (Attorney General) Pam (Bondi) and everybody else, give them everything you can give them because it’s a Democrat hoax.”

This is almost subtle, at least for Trump, but he's once again doing something he did repeatedly in his last term - positioning one of his underlings to take the blame for something he's done. I don't know anything about the Epstein case. It's Bondi's responsibility, not mine. Now, I'm not saying that Trump is definitely going to accuse Bondi of either a cover-up or an elaborate hoax and blame the entire Epstein fiasco on her. He might not have to. But he is laying the groundwork for it, meaning that he considers it an option. This tendency of Trump is arguably the most indefensible part of his presidency. Regardless of what your political or social beliefs are, the idea that a leader takes responsibility is a cultural universal, and a leader who refuses to take responsibility and instead blames the people under them is rightly condemned by everyone. And when I say everyone, I really do mean everyone. I have no respect for a leader who acts the way Trump does, and neither do you. Yes, you, hypothetical Trump supporter. You wouldn't respect a football coach who acted this way. You wouldn't respect a store manager who acted this way. You wouldn't respect a mayor or governor who acted this way. Tell me that you think that Trump is being a good leader and an honorable man when he blames his subordinates and insists they shoulder the entire blame whenever the scandals get too heavy to ignore, and I'll call you a liar to your face.

[Lord Dave]

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/22/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-donald-trump-interview-00520352

If you believe this, you are a moron. Maxwell has already been given a carrot in the form of a sudden transfer to a cushy Club Fed, and she's clearly angling for a pardon for Trump. Of course she's going to say that Trump is entirely innocent. Also, on a related subject:

https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2025/08/donald-trump-says-people-are-named-in-epstein-files-who-dont-deserve-to-be-its-a-democratic-hoax.html

While the story is ridiculous, as is everything Trump says in it, the most interesting part of it to me is this:

“You’ve got a lot of people that could be mentioned in those files that don’t deserve to be,” he added. “Because (Epstein) knew everybody in Palm Beach. I don’t know anything about that, but I have said to (Attorney General) Pam (Bondi) and everybody else, give them everything you can give them because it’s a Democrat hoax.”

This is almost subtle, at least for Trump, but he's once again doing something he did repeatedly in his last term - positioning one of his underlings to take the blame for something he's done. I don't know anything about the Epstein case. It's Bondi's responsibility, not mine. Now, I'm not saying that Trump is definitely going to accuse Bondi of either a cover-up or an elaborate hoax and blame the entire Epstein fiasco on her. He might not have to. But he is laying the groundwork for it, meaning that he considers it an option. This tendency of Trump is arguably the most indefensible part of his presidency. Regardless of what your political or social beliefs are, the idea that a leader takes responsibility is a cultural universal, and a leader who refuses to take responsibility and instead blames the people under them is rightly condemned by everyone. And when I say everyone, I really do mean everyone. I have no respect for a leader who acts the way Trump does, and neither do you. Yes, you, hypothetical Trump supporter. You wouldn't respect a football coach who acted this way. You wouldn't respect a store manager who acted this way. You wouldn't respect a mayor or governor who acted this way. Tell me that you think that Trump is being a good leader and an honorable man when he blames his subordinates and insists they shoulder the entire blame whenever the scandals get too heavy to ignore, and I'll call you a liar to your face.

Look at the wording.

"Never observed"
"Inappropriate setting"
I'll have to read the full transcript but this sounds like very diliberate wording to not fully exonnerate him if he back stabs her.


Also:

Maxwell insisted she was unaware of any sexual contact between Epstein and minors or any other type of “non-consensual” sexual activity. But she said she now recognizes some of those things may have happened outside her presence.

Like you said, if you believe this interview, you're an idiot.

[markjo]

Ah.  The old "just because I didn't see it doesn't mean that it couldn't have happened" defense.

[Dr Van Nostrand]

Look at the wording.

"Never observed"
"Inappropriate setting"
I'll have to read the full transcript but this sounds like very diliberate wording to not fully exonnerate him if he back stabs her.

Not just the wording but the delivery would make a difference.
I'm sure she didn't sound like an innocent SuperNanny when she talked to Trump's DOJ idiots.

When she spoke, she looked directly at Todd Blanche and her eyes glowed red, giving him a look that said, "Look here you sniveling little sycophant, you go back and tell that orange piece of crap to get me out of here or I'm going to remember so much shit that the whole planet will get to watch him burn in hell." Then her forked tongue flicked out to taste the air.

[honk]

It's not like she can just call a press conference in a few weeks' time accusing Trump of being involved in Epstein's crimes if she doesn't get a pardon. Theoretically, she could put out a statement via her lawyer...but I don't know, I really don't think a lawyer is going to want to do that for her, not with all the law firms that have been publicly capitulating and bending the knee to Trump lately. I think this is it, honestly. She's made her play, and it's to give Trump what he wants and fall on his mercy. Trump does have a history of abusing his pardon power to reward his cronies. He also has a history of betraying people who trusted him, so it could go either way.

[Lord Dave]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewyppww09jo

Remember that guy?
Yeah, apparently they decided that his crimes were... Not severe so they're asking him to plead guilty and in exchange they'll send him to Costa Rica instead of Uganda.

Because sending him to his home country is no longer what they wanna do.  And its either a 3rd world African nation, or Costa Rica. 

[juner]

I don't know anything about the Epstein case. It's Bondi's responsibility, not mine.

if you didn't care about the truth coming when biden was president, don't try to pretend to care now. the internet is flooded with this most recent talking point from whatever DNC think tank. crazy how there weren't thousands of daily posts about releasing the files until just recently. it is disingenuous and absolute scumbag behavior.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewyppww09jo


Remember that guy?
Yeah, apparently they decided that his crimes were... Not severe so they're asking him to plead guilty and in exchange they'll send him to Costa Rica instead of Uganda.

Because sending him to his home country is no longer what they wanna do.  And its either a 3rd world African nation, or Costa Rica. 

unless you have cognitive dissonance and/or lack emotional maturity you would not give two seconds of attention to what happens to a spousal abuser who is also here illegally. sorry, let us just pretend to support absolutely retarded positions because trump bad and those are the only headlines you read.

it is almost like there is a term for these coordinated talking points in journalism...

[Dr Van Nostrand]

I don't know anything about the Epstein case. It's Bondi's responsibility, not mine.

if you didn't care about the truth coming when biden was president, don't try to pretend to care now. the internet is flooded with this most recent talking point from whatever DNC think tank. crazy how there weren't thousands of daily posts about releasing the files until just recently. it is disingenuous and absolute scumbag behavior.

This is the absolute MAGA movement. It's always about Biden, Obama or Clinton (sometimes, Mexicans.)
Bill Clinton didn't go to the Supreme Court looking for unlimited criminal immunity for the sitting President.

Trump for over a decade went on and on about releasing the Epstein files, about how it will destroy Clinton and bring down the liberals. His idiot AG Barbie staged her dumbass publicity stunt where she handed out binders of the "Epstein Files: Phase One." Now, all of a sudden it's all a big Obama hoax, no list, no files. Well, dumb bitch self-pwned like all the Trump people and released an Appendix in her stunt document that has a complete list of documents we haven't seen.

I had always seriously believed that Epstein killed himself until Trump had to start shooting off his mouth and fumbled his moronic cover up. Patel and Bongino are Dumb and Dumber but even the dumbest saw right through their stupid shit. They really thought we're idiots.

I don't give a fuck who burns, at this point. I don't care about Bidens, Clintons, Trumps. Survivors are calling for its release.
Anyone stopping the release of this information or hindering the investigation (including Predator Ghilslane) is sticking up for the chomos.

Why is Trump protecting Clinton?

[Action80]

Bill Clinton didn't go to the Supreme Court looking for unlimited criminal immunity for the sitting President.

Correct.

He was too busy overseeing further implementation of the New World agenda of cousin Czar Bush the I.

That, and the centrist policy of banging interns.

Why is Trump protecting Clinton?

You truly think they are not the best of buds?

[juner]

This is the absolute MAGA movement. It's always about Biden, Obama or Clinton (sometimes, Mexicans.)

it isnt, and im as far away from maga you could possibly imagine. but since you are seemingly incapable of having an original thought and just regurgitate the exact same things repeated ad nauseam on r/politics i am not going to bother doing a long back and forth of pointing out all the ways you are wrong. all you have to say going forward is "orange mad bad" because that is all it amounts to.

[Dr Van Nostrand]

it isnt, and im as far away from maga you could possibly imagine.

No, you're actually the worst form of MAGA, someone who has been deeply indoctrinated into Trumpian beliefs and doesn't know it. It is manifested in statements like,

all you have to say going forward is "orange mad bad" because that is all it amounts to.

Because you have no defense to all the stupid, shitty, ill-conceived stuff that Trump says and does. All you can do is bitch and moan about past Democrats.

Perhaps you can MAGAsplain why Trump is protecting Clinton with some argument besides, "Obama bad, orange man sent by Jesus and all liberals suck."

[juner]

it isnt, and im as far away from maga you could possibly imagine.

No, you're actually the worst form of MAGA, someone who has been deeply indoctrinated into Trumpian beliefs and doesn't know it. It is manifested in statements like,

all you have to say going forward is "orange mad bad" because that is all it amounts to.

Because you have no defense to all the stupid, shitty, ill-conceived stuff that Trump says and does. All you can do is bitch and moan about past Democrats.

Perhaps you can MAGAsplain why Trump is protecting Clinton with some argument besides, "Obama bad, orange man sent by Jesus and all liberals suck."

lol

keep going

[honk]

I don't know anything about the Epstein case. It's Bondi's responsibility, not mine.

if you didn't care about the truth coming when biden was president, don't try to pretend to care now. the internet is flooded with this most recent talking point from whatever DNC think tank. crazy how there weren't thousands of daily posts about releasing the files until just recently. it is disingenuous and absolute scumbag behavior.

This is not a relevant response to my post. I'm not clamoring for Trump to release the Epstein files; I'm criticizing him for once again positioning one of his subordinates to take the blame for a negative story instead of taking responsibility for his own administration. And like Van Nostrand said, people are only demanding that the Epstein files be released because Trump turned it into a political issue and promised his conspiracy-addled base too much. For myself, I don't need any files to be released to confirm what I already know, along with anyone else who has eyes and a working brain - Trump and Epstein were close friends for many years, partied together all the time, and their social lives weren't kept secret from each other. I don't know if Trump himself was partaking of the teenage girls that Epstein surrounded himself with, and that kind of information isn't likely to be in any government files, but he must have known about Epstein's preference for the underaged. It's not feasible that he didn't know anything and everything that happened with Epstein was all a big surprise to him. No, he knew about it, and not only did he never tell anyone or try to stop him, he continued to hang out and party with him the whole time. That makes Trump almost as much of a creep as Epstein in my book, and ethically (if not necessarily legally) complicit in his crimes. If the release-the-Epstein-files movement will help Trump's base realize what kind of person he is and turn on him, then I'll support it for pragmatic reasons, but it never should have had to come to that. We've known about Trump and Epstein for many years.

[Action80]

I fail to see how Trump telling Bondi to release everything is setting her up for failure.

[juner]

I'm not clamoring for Trump to release the Epstein files

the rest of your post that im not bothering to read in its entirety proves otherwise, but i am not interested in nitpicking specifics of a topic since you are still hammering on $currentThing like every neolib at the moment.

i will just put on my TRUMP 2032 hat and let you talk at the forum.

action69 is a more interesting person to talk to than 90% of the people in this thread. and i know we dont agree on a good number of topics. he used to just rant angrily for the longest time, but his opinions have at least always been consistent over the years which is something i respect even if we disagree. i have zero interest in engaging with people who just want to say things to the crowd without any interest in willing to be wrong or change their mind (that is you and many in this thread). anyway i will just tell you that you are right because that is all you are looking to get out of any discussion. if you want a TRUMP 2028 hat i will happily send you one.

[honk]

If you aren't interested in discussing anything with anyone, all you have do is not post in the thread. You don't need to waste everyone's time by announcing how much you don't care.

I fail to see how Trump telling Bondi to release everything is setting her up for failure.

That in and of itself isn't the problem. It's how Trump insisted "I don’t know anything about that" and put the entire responsibility on Bondi's shoulders, as if he's not the president. A good leader takes responsibility for the people they're in charge of and stands behind them. Trump, however, is getting ready to dump the whole thing on Bondi and blame her entirely if it turns into a scandal. He did this kind of thing multiple times in his first term, and he'd do it again if he thought it was to his advantage.

[juner]

If you aren't interested in discussing anything with anyone, all you have do is not post in the thread. You don't need to waste everyone's time by announcing how much you don't care.

i do care, that is the problem. the only thing a lot of people here care about is yelling at the clouds to prove they are on the """right side""" atop their high horse. but i will post when i feel like it. deal with it, peanut. having said that, and knowing the little i know about you after having met in person nearly a decade ago, there are things about you i respect too. if you want me to take actual interest in anything you post i will do that earnestly if you do something for me, let's call it a challenge. i want you to pick a random film that you haven't seen or read other's opinions about. watch it. then, post an initial reaction in the media thread of your first thoughts that can't be swayed because you didn't have any bias going into it. then, still don't read anything about it, but take time to process and write a wall of text review entirely in your own words and opinion. you might get clowned on, but those are the opinions i am interested in and respect. and i promise i will respond in the same manner whether i agree or not. hopefully you see where i am going with this. if not, that is okay too.


EDIT — everyone i disagree with or they disagree with me is getting TRUMP 2028 hats.

EDIT #2 — i have been advised that there will no longer be elections by 2028 so i am going to start with TRUMP 2029 and release a new edition every year. thank you for your attention to this matter.

[Rushy]

Does anyone here truly believe Epstein kept a clean little notebook of his clients?

November 12, 1994: Donald Trump raped Jane Doe (age 9)
November 13, 1994: Hillary and Bill Clinton also raped Jane Doe
November 14, 1994: Ahmed Muhammad raped Jane Doe
November 15, 1994: Joe Biden raped Jane Doe
November 16, 1994: Mike Bloomberg raped Jane Doe

Is this what people would actually want? Even if such 'evidence' were released, would anyone believe it? Or would each side simply ignore the "my glorious rebels" and hyper-focus on "their evil regime"?

Trump used the Epstein list as a talking point, in much the same way he said 'build the wall' and then didn't do that.

Regardless, it seems like a huge waste of time demanding something that you wouldn't actually act on even if were given to you in whole. If the 'list' mentions virtually every person in Congress (and it probably would!) then are you going to go rambo and execute them one-by-one? No? Then it's a waste of time, because they are rich, powerful, don't give a damn about you and they are literally never going to jail.

[Lord Dave]

Does anyone here truly believe Epstein kept a clean little notebook of his clients?

It's honestly a tossup in my head.
On one hand: he's doing super illegal things with other people who do not want evidence of the super illegal stuff.  And he wants repeat customers.

On the other hand: a little black book (well, evidence really) gives you leverage against them should they try to harm you.


But we have the victims.  We can just listen to them and go with that.

[Dr Van Nostrand]

Does anyone here truly believe Epstein kept a clean little notebook of his clients?

It's honestly a tossup in my head.
On one hand: he's doing super illegal things with other people who do not want evidence of the super illegal stuff.  And he wants repeat customers.

On the other hand: a little black book (well, evidence really) gives you leverage against them should they try to harm you.


But we have the victims.  We can just listen to them and go with that.

A little black book is just a metaphor for the vast amount of evidence piled up. Flying hundreds of little girls to your island leaves a substantial aviation paper trail and lines up with the victim's testimonies. We know rich people visited the island while this was happening and we know from victim testimonies that Epstein wasn't the only one who sexually abused these girls. Also, there is said to be video evidence, you can imagine there were security camera everywhere.

Epstein wasn't killed because he had a client list, he was killed because he had a vast trove of incriminating stuff. Now, Ghislaine has it all and she's using it to cut herself a pretty sweet deal.

I fail to see how Trump telling Bondi to release everything is setting her up for failure.

Because she can't 'release everything' because Trump's balls deep in it. Her job is to sell Trump's idiotic backpedaling after pumping this crap for years. She's looking stupider everyday.

Just like Patel and Bongino being told they are 'releasing everything' of the Epstein prison video then they give us this embarrassing, amateur, cover-up that took about twenty seconds to see through. Trump made them look like idiots.
Here's one of dozens of take-downs of Dumb and Dumber's video fail: