Inside Trump’s White House: a detailed freakout over the Epstein files

In a remarkable piece of investigative journalism by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan – veteran White House reporters and authors of the forthcoming book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump – The New York Times pulls back the curtain on a high-stakes internal crisis that consumed President Donald Trump’s senior advisers last summer.

The article, rich with vivid sourcing and fly-on-the-wall detail, describes how Trump’s closest circle grappled with the politically explosive Jeffrey Epstein files in the very Situation Room where past presidents have managed wars and terrorist hunts.

On the evening of 17 July 2025, top officials filed into the secure White House complex – notably without the president present. Vice President JD Vance chaired the meeting in the John F. Kennedy Conference Room, declaring the Epstein matter “a huge problem” for the administration and the broader MAGA movement. Among those assembled were Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, White House counsel David Warrington, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, communications director Steven Cheung, and several Justice Department officials, including Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel dialed in.

The catalyst was a joint DOJ-FBI memo released ten days earlier. It stated that a review of the department’s voluminous Epstein materials had uncovered no formal “client list” of powerful men for whom the late financier had allegedly procured underage girls. Intended to quell conspiracy theories and demands for full disclosure, the memo backfired spectacularly, igniting fury especially among segments of Trump’s own base who viewed it as a whitewash. Compounding the pressure, The Wall Street Journal was preparing an article revisiting Trump’s past social ties to Epstein – despite the president’s unsuccessful efforts to kill the story.

Haberman and Swan paint a picture of deep internal division. Vance emerged as a forceful advocate for greater transparency, pushing for the release of more – or even all – files and even floating a congressional investigation. Some colleagues came away with the impression that he had embraced darker theories about elite cabals. Wiles reportedly viewed him as veering into “major conspiracy theorist” territory. In one striking proposal, Vance suggested enlisting Tucker Carlson to interview Ghislaine Maxwell in prison, hoping she might publicly affirm that Trump had no involvement in Epstein’s wrongdoing.

Trump himself, according to the reporting, wanted the issue buried. He showed little patience for aides raising base concerns and conveyed scant sympathy for calls for full disclosure. Advisers found themselves in the awkward position of trying to signal presidential support they knew was lacking, while fearing leaks, base alienation, and the political risks of raw, unverified FBI tips (including old, uncorroborated mentions of Trump and other prominent figures) entering the public domain

The NYT piece highlights the extraordinary nature of using the Situation Room – typically reserved for national security crises – for damage control over domestic political files. Multiple such meetings occurred as the team debated limited transparency measures, such as curated document releases to influencers, while weighing the dangers of defying subpoenas or congressional pressure. The episode, the reporters note, paralyzed parts of the White House more than many expected, turning a promised transparency initiative into an anxious scramble.

Broader context and unfolding scandals

Trump and Epstein moved in overlapping New York and Palm Beach social circles in the 1980s and 1990s through the early 2000s. Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least several times, and the two were photographed together at parties. Trump later distanced himself, banning Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after an alleged incident involving a minor, and has described him as a “creep.” No criminal charges related to Epstein’s sex-trafficking activities were ever brought against Trump. Released files have repeatedly mentioned him in social contexts and include unverified tips, but supporters emphasize that nothing new and substantiated has emerged implicating him in crimes after the early 2000s.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump pledged full release of Epstein-related materials. After taking office in 2025, delays prompted bipartisan frustration and congressional action. The Epstein Files Transparency Act passed in late 2025, and the administration began releasing millions of pages in batches – over 3.5 million by early 2026 – including flight logs, emails, and interview notes. Critics, including Democrats, argued the process was too slow, heavily redacted, or incomplete. Some Trump allies and MAGA voices, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, also expressed impatience.

The New York Times reporting has reignited fierce partisan debate. Democrats, including Rep. Melanie Stansbury, have branded it “Trump’s Watergate,” accusing the administration of a cover-up and vowing further hearings. The White House and supporters counter that far more has been released under Trump than during the previous administration, that the files largely recycle known information or hearsay, and that indiscriminate dumps risk spreading misinformation. Internal anxiety over the leak of these meeting details has reportedly triggered a damage-control effort of its own inside the administration.

Haberman and Swan’s deeply sourced account – drawn from hundreds of interviews for their book – stands as a compelling example of accountability journalism. It captures the tension between campaign promises of transparency, the realities of governing, and the enduring public obsession with Epstein’s network and questions of elite impunity. As releases continue and congressional scrutiny intensifies, the saga underscores how one decades-old scandal continues to ripple through the highest levels of power.

UN experts warn Epstein files may reveal crimes against humanity

EUalive with the NYT

Caption: 3,437 bound volumes of the Epstein files are displayed at ‘The Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Reading Room’ on the exhibit’s opening day in Washington, DC, USA, 9 June 2026. The traveling exhibition is open in Washington from 9 to 12 June. EPA/JIM LO SCALZO