Jake Tapper Calls Out Trump’s ‘Bizarre’ Epstein Files Theory
Tapper dismissed the president’s latest attack on the credibility of the Jeffrey Epstein files “madness.”
CNN’s Jake Tapper has flatly debunked President Donald Trump’s claim that his enemies may have planted damaging material about him in the the Jeffrey Epstein files, calling it “one of the most bizarre conspiracy theories I’ve ever heard.”
As part of his ongoing effort to sow doubt about the Epstein files, Trump on Monday dismissed them as “fake” to reporters in Scotland and said they were “run by the worst scum on Earth.”
Naming former President Joe Biden, former FBI Director James Comey, former Attorney General Merrick Garland, Trump argued, “They can easily put something in the files that’s a phony.”
President Donald Trump said Monday that the Epstein files are “a hoax that’s been built up way beyond proportion.”
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Tapper called the president’s theory “madness” during his conversation with former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara: “The idea that [Trump’s opponents] would do this and then just walk away instead of—”
“Not act on it,” Bharara chimed in.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“Yeah! Like, do it in 2016 or do it in 2020, or 2024 when they’re trying to defeat Donald Trump,” Tapper continued, expressing doubt that Trump’s foes would “just put it there and hope somebody finds it.”
Trump has doubled down on his attempts to discredit the files on the late convicted sex offender after it was reported last week that his name appears in the documents multiple times. According to The Wall Street Journal, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in a May meeting that his name is included in the files.
On Monday, he said “It’s a hoax that’s been built up way beyond proportion.”
But even Trump himself briefly debunked his own conspiracy theory by noting, “If they had something, they would have released [sic].”
Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump spent years running in the same social circles.
Davidoff Studios Photography/Getty Images
Trump’s assertion that the files may have been tampered with has been seen by some as preemptive damage control if the files ever implicate him.
The MAGA uproar over how Trump has handled the files, which were long hyped up by members of his own administration, has thrown renewed attention on the president’s personal ties to Epstein.
Trump was friends with the disgraced financier for over a decade starting in the 1980s, though he says they had a falling out before Epstein was exposed as a pedophile.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Unlock a year of full access to The Looker and The Daily Beast for $35.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog