Popular podcaster criticizes JD Vance over past Epstein comments: 'What changed?'
In a social media post July 16, Theo Von, whose podcast and social media channels have millions of subscribers, recirculated a clip of a former interview with Vance in which the then-candidate appeared to agree to release alleged files about the criminal investigation into Epstein.
Von's comments join a growing chorus of online MAGA figures pushing back against the Trump administration after a July 7 announcement claiming the FBI and Department of Justice investigation found no evidence of a supposed client list, thought to contain names of individuals who were associated with Epstein's alleged sex trafficking.
The financier and convicted sex offender died while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking in 2019.
Maurene Comey fired: Daughter of ex-FBI director and prosecutor against Jeffrey Epstein
Von reshared the 7-second video clip of his October 2024 interview with Vance in which the then-senator said "seriously, we need to release the Epstein list, that is an important thing," after another user, self-described as a progressive activist, posted it a day prior. The user's original post included the text: "A video is going viral showing JD Vance calling for the full Epstein list to be released − on Theo Von's podcast. Hey JD, what changed?"
Von republished the post on his own page, adding: 'Yeah, what changed?'
Von's podcast, "This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von," is the fourth most popular podcast on Spotify, as of mid-July, and is among the more popular conservative-leaning podcasting shows. It is often lumped in with Joe Rogan's within the so-called 'manosphere,' of media channels catering to predominantly male audiences. Von's show often features interviews with celebrities, political figures and influencers, including a nearly hour-long sit-down with Trump a few months before the November 2024 presidential election.
The alleged Epstein "client list" and surrounding controversies have created division within the Republican party and among some of MAGA's most vocal online personalities. Trump has long suggested he would be open to releasing the so-called list of Epstein clients, and Vance had also been vocal in making similar statements during the 2024 campaign.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in March she had a "truckload" of Epstein files to review and potentially release, further stoking expectations and conspiracies, especially among Trump's base. Yet furor erupted on July 7 when Bondi's Justice Department announced there was no "client list" and no further disclosure was needed.
More about the Epstein 'list': Jeffrey Epstein is sowing division among MAGA. What to know about the late sex offender
While Trump has since directed Bondi to release "whatever she thinks is credible," he has attempted to distance himself from the uproar, claiming it to be a "Democratic hoax." Yet long-time Trump loyalists, including daughter-in-law Lara Trump and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, have called for more transparency. Democrats have also pushed for legislative action to release some of the documents.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, a hardline MAGA supporter, weighed in on X on July 15, writing: "We deserve the truth about the Epstein files. I'm ready for a Special Counsel to handle this."
Charlie Kirk, a key MAGA influencer who had spoke often about his doubts over the Epstein probe, abruptly reversed course on his vocal criticism this week, saying in his podcast: "I'm done talking about Epstein for the time being. I'm gonna trust my friends in the administration ."
Contributing: Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY; Reuters.
Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kapalmer@usatoday.com and on X @KathrynPlmr.
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The Hill
28 minutes ago
- The Hill
Raskin notes ‘bipartisan urgency' for DOJ to release all Epstein files
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said Thursday that he thought the Trump administration would have to turn over all the 'Epstein files' due to what he characterized as significant bipartisan support for their release. 'We need total disclosure of the complete file, redacting only the names and the identities of the minor victims,' the Maryland Democrat said during an appearance on MSNBC. 'There is overwhelming bipartisan, popular demand, Congressional demand, to release all of this stuff.' Without control of the chamber, House Democrats are unable to do much on their own to force the release of any evidence held by the federal government. However, a resolution spearheaded by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to force a House vote on the matter has garnered bipartisan support from figures as wide-ranging as Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). Raskin is not an official co-sponsor on the resolution. The Maryland lawmaker, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, instead said Tuesday that Bondi and other top administration officials should testify about Epstein, and floated the possibility of a subpoena. 'I think the cat is out of the bag and they're going to have to turn everything over to us,' Raskin said on MSNBC Thursday. Many Democrats have seized on the controversy roiling the MAGA-verse to demand that the Trump administration release documents related to the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. 'In other words, we're asking for exactly what Donald Trump was demanding and exactly what Pam Bondi was demanding before they got into power and got to look at everything,' Raskin said.
The Hill
28 minutes ago
- The Hill
The government does have an Epstein list — here's the proof
Out of all the things President Trump has done, I would never have imagined it would be the late Jeffrey Epstein that finally dented his political armor and turned his conspiracy-minded base against him. I confess I feel a little cheap writing about this. So I have to remind myself that this is really the opposite of a conspiracy theory. And just so I don't keep you in suspense, there is a list of clients related to the billionaire sex offender's underage trafficking charges, and its existence is a matter of public record. For those of you lucky enough not to know all the details already, Trump has been talking up Epstein conspiracy theories for years. His base is now hooked on the idea that the case files contain a huge amount of mud-slingable dirt on the rich and famous. During the 2024 campaign, Trump promised to make the files public and, in February, he even held a public event at the White House to release the ' first phase ' of the information. Attorney General Pam Bondi — the official Trump tasked with the release — when asked about the Epstein client list and when it would be released, responded, 'It's sitting on my desk right now.' Now, suddenly, Trump and Bondi are telling everyone to move along, there is nothing to see here. In a memo closing the case, released on Sunday of the July 4 holiday weekend, Bondi said there was no so-called 'client list,' that no more information would be released, and that the case was closed. Trump's subsequent reactions have been equally inexplicable. He has gone from promising his followers amazing things to shouting at them for asking questions. He even published a post on Truth Social 'firing' his supporters for refusing to drop the inquiry. 'Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this 'bulls—,' hook, line, and sinker,' the president posted Wednesday. 'Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore!' Trump is also now claiming that Barack Obama and James Comey ' made up' the Epstein files. That's complete nonsense. Epstein was arrested on July 6, 2019, and his New York mansion was raided on the same day. Obama had been out of office for more than two years, and Trump himself was president — the same president, in fact, who had fired Comey on May 9, 2017, for his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election on Trump's behalf. If Trump believes Obama and Comey had anything to do with the Epstein files, he's an idiot. If Trump believes his supporters will buy this excuse, then he thinks they are. We know that Bondi's carefully crafted memo claiming that there is no Epstein 'client list' — the quotation marks are in the memo— is also nonsense. There might not have been a 'client list' in the FBI's Epstein files, but the FBI certainly has compiled a list of clients. When the FBI raided Epstein's New York mansion, they seized a vast amount of material. In a court memo filed on July 8, 2019, two days after his arrest, the Department of Justice outlined some of the evidence they had seized. This included stacks of compact disks labeled 'Young [Name] + [Name].' In short, Epstein kept a carefully curated library of videos showing various people having sex with underage women. Even if Epstein was not actively blackmailing anyone, he sure seems he had plenty of insurance at the ready. But that's not the only reason Bondi's claim is nonsense. There's also the question of math. Bondi admits that 'Epstein harmed over one thousand victims.' But we also know that, once a part of Epstein's 'system,' his victims were trafficked several times. Virginia Giuffre, for example, described being sexually trafficked multiple times over two years in New York, Palm Beach, the U.S. Virgin Islands and London. Let's say that each victim was involved, on average, in five incidents. That's over 5,000 sexual encounters. It's safe to assume this wasn't all Epstein. And with over a thousand victims to interview and piles of DVDs labeled with perpetrators' names, the FBI and Pam Bondi know exactly who was involved. So the question remains: Why has Trump suddenly turned on his followers on this issue and gone from being a champion of transparency to engaging in one of the clumsiest coverups in American political history? Why is Trump willing to die on the Epstein hill? Make no mistake, Trump has a lot to lose from protecting Epstein's clients. His base is furious. If nothing else, he's now going to get booed at his own rallies. It's even likely to be a potent issue in the 2026 midterms. House Democrats are already pushing Republicans to subpoena witnesses. You can almost hear them now — 'Give us control of Congress and we'll conduct proper hearings and get to the bottom of the Epstein mess!' I can only assume that Bondi discovered something in the Epstein evidence that is much more dangerous for Trump than the wrath of his base. I'd be surprised if it's evidence that Trump himself was one of Epstein's clients. Having sex with a 14-year-old at a friend's house is the kind of thing you would remember — if Trump knew he might be 'on the list,' I doubt if he would have made so many promises to release the information. Nonetheless, something in those files has Trump running scared in a way he never has before. Does someone on the Epstein list have some sort of hold over Trump? I won't speculate — I'm just asking questions.
Boston Globe
28 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
A timeline of what we know about Trump and Epstein
The Department of Justice's review of the files 'revealed no incriminating 'client list,'' the department wrote in an unsigned July memo. 'There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions. We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up FILE — Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a news conference at the White House in Washington, June 27, 2025. PETE MAROVICH/NYT Advertisement Facing continued pressure on the matter, Trump on Thursday directed Bondi to seek the release in court of 'any and all grand jury testimony' in the Epstein investigation, an order that fell short of the complete disclosure of material that the president's critics have demanded. Trump had previously instructed Bondi to release only 'credible' information, and suggested he was concerned that innocent people could be unfairly smeared if the full files are released. He has condemned questions about his handling of the case as a 'hoax' perpetrated by Democrats and called Epstein a 'creep.' Advertisement Epstein was convicted of paying teenage girls money to perform sex acts. He hanged himself in his cell in 2019, according to local and federal authorities. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2021 of conspiring with Epstein for nearly a decade to aid in his abuse. Here's what we know about Trump and Epstein: 1980s to early 2000s: Trump and Epstein are friendly According to Trump's telling, he and Epstein were friends for more than a decade, beginning in the 1980s. 'I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,' Trump told New York magazine in 2002. 'He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it -- Jeffrey enjoys his social life.' Throughout those years, they were spotted together at parties. In 1992, Trump threw a raucous party with NFL cheerleaders at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. NBC's footage of the party shows Trump socializing with Epstein. In 1997, Trump and Epstein attended a Victoria's Secret 'Angels' party together in New York. The Wall Street Journal reported that in 2003, Trump gave a letter with a birthday greeting to Epstein, including a sketch of a naked woman and a reference to secrets the two men shared. Trump denied writing the letter, and The New York Times has not verified the report. 1993 to 1997: Trump flies on Epstein's private jets seven times During the time they were friends, Trump's name appeared seven times in Epstein's flight logs. Trump flew on Epstein's private jets four times in 1993; once in 1994; once in 1995; and once in 1997, according to flight logs released as evidence in Maxwell's trial. The flights were between Palm Beach and New York, including a stop in Washington, D.C. Advertisement The president has acknowledged traveling on Epstein's plane but insisted he never accompanied him to his private island or engaged in any wrongdoing with the financier. In fact, Trump has accused other politicians of being more deeply associated with Epstein. Of former President Bill Clinton, Trump said: 'Got a lot of problems coming up in my opinion with the famous island with Jeffrey Epstein.' Trump's name and phone number were also included among the rich and powerful people written down in Epstein's 'little black book.' FILE — Jack Posobiec, a far-right political activist, carries a binder labeled 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' as he exits the White House in Washington, Feb. 27, 2025. HAIYUN JIANG/NYT 2000: Mar-a-Lago plays a role in Epstein's case Mar-a-Lago played a key role in allegations against Epstein and Maxwell. Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein's sex-trafficking ring who said she was 'passed around like a platter of fruit' as a teenager to rich and powerful predators, was recruited into Epstein's employment while at Mar-a-Lago, according to her account. Giuffre, who was 16 at the time, said she was reading a massage therapy manual when she was approached by Maxwell and invited to become Epstein's traveling masseuse. She said the two of them then groomed her to perform sexual services for wealthy men. Giuffre accused Epstein and Maxwell, a British socialite, of forcing her to have sex with Prince Andrew of Britain. He flatly denied the accusations, but he relinquished his royal duties in 2019. A widely published photograph showed Prince Andrew with his hand around her waist. He said he had no memory of the occasion. Giuffre died by suicide in April. Advertisement 2004: Trump and Epstein have a 'falling out' over a property fight Two years after Trump called Epstein a 'terrific guy,' the two men became rivals over an oceanfront Palm Beach mansion that had fallen into foreclosure. In a power struggle detailed by The Washington Post, Trump ultimately outbid Epstein for the property. There is little public record of the two men interacting after that real estate battle. Trump would later say in 2019 that he and Epstein had a 'falling out' and hadn't spoken in 15 years; the president declared himself 'not a fan' of his former friend. Not long after the property auction, police in Palm Beach fielded a tip that young women had been observed going in and out of Epstein's home. A few months later, in March 2005, police received a more substantive complaint, from a woman who said her teenage stepdaughter had been paid by Epstein to give him a massage while she was undressed, according to a police report. That led to an investigation that later identified at least a dozen potential victims. An FBI and Florida police investigation led to his indictment in 2006. Two years later, he pleaded guilty in state court to two felony charges, including soliciting a minor, in a deal that avoided federal charges that could have meant far more serious prison time. 2019: Epstein is charged with sex trafficking The case against Epstein might have ended quietly there. But The Miami Herald in 2018 unearthed new allegations against him and exposed the widespread nature of Epstein's crimes. The Herald detailed how he was able to manipulate the criminal justice system to shut down an FBI investigation and win immunity for any of his 'potential co-conspirators.' Advertisement The Herald identified about 80 women who say they were molested or otherwise sexually abused by Epstein from 2001 to 2006. In 2019, Epstein was arrested by federal agents in the New York area, accused of trafficking girls, some as young as 14, and engaging in sex acts with them. Facing decades in prison, local and federal authorities say he hanged himself in a jail cell while awaiting trial. 2019 and 2020: Trump urges an investigation but expresses sympathy for Maxwell Over the years, Trump at times seemed to promote the idea that rich and powerful people had engaged in nefarious behavior with Epstein, and might soon face justice. 'I want a full investigation, and that's what I absolutely am demanding,' Trump said of the Epstein case in 2019. But he also expressed sympathy for Maxwell, whom he knew socially. 'I do wish her well. I'm not looking for anything bad for her,' Trump said in interview with Jonathan Swan, then of Axios, on HBO in 2020. 2024: Trump expresses mixed feelings about releasing files While running for office in 2024, Trump expressed mixed feelings about whether he would release files in the Epstein case. 'I guess I would,' he told Fox News, before beginning to back off that claim. 'I think that less so because you don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there, because it's a lot of phony stuff with that whole world. But I think I would.' 2025: Trump lashes out at critics Upon taking office, Trump appointed leaders of the Justice Department and FBI who had promised right-wing base they would be getting to the bottom of the Epstein investigation. Advertisement But after leading on Trump's base, the Justice Department and the FBI said that the Epstein files did not contain the kind of evidence that would justify investigating other people. The video recordings of child sexual abuse material found by investigators were not videos that Epstein recorded of crimes by himself or his friends, but material he downloaded, Bondi said. Still, Trump has repeatedly lashed out at those who questioned him. He rebuked his own supporters as 'weaklings' for continuing to talk about Epstein's case and accused them of falling for a 'scam' perpetrated by Democrats. 'I don't understand why they would be so interested,' Trump told reporters. 'He's dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don't understand what the interest or what the fascination is, I really don't.' This article originally appeared in
