Latest news with #HotMess
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Epstein was 'terrified' of Trump in his last days, reveals author Michale Wolff
Author Michael Wolff claimed that friendship between Trump and Epstein, which began in the 1980s, was marked by rivalry over money, women, and social status read more A protest group called "Hot Mess" hold up signs of Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump in front of the Federal courthouse on July 8, 2019 in New York City. File Photo/AFP Journalist and author Michael Wolff has claimed that Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier, was reportedly 'afraid' of Donald Trump, whom he knew 'better' than most and whose rise to power deeply unsettled him. Wolff, author of the bestselling Fire and Fury, revealed on his podcast that Epstein was a key behind-the-scenes source for the book. The author discussed hours of private conversations with Epstein before he died in 2019. 'When I was writing Fire and Fury, I became an outlet for Epstein to express his incredulity about someone whose sins he knew so well, and then this person actually being elected president,' Wolff stated. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Epstein was utterly preoccupied with Trump, and I think, frankly, afraid of him.' According to Wolff, Trump and Epstein's friendship, which began in the 1980s, was marked by rivalry over money, women, and social status. 'I think Epstein saw Trump as essentially Bush League,' Wolff noted. 'Epstein knew him, really, I think, better than most. I mean, this was a true BFF situation: two playboys very much styling themselves as playboys in that (Hugh) Hefner sense, who palled around for the better part of 15 years.' Their relationship reportedly deteriorated in 2004 when Trump outbid Epstein on a luxurious Palm Beach property. 'He was really, really, really p****d,' Wolff recalled Epstein saying. The rift widened after Trump's 2016 presidential victory. 'When Epstein and I were talking about this, Trump was now the president of the United States, and I think frightening,' Wolff said. 'Because the most inappropriate person to be the president of the United States was probably Donald Trump.' 'I was always startled how afraid he seemed about Trump. And I've Focal I've spoken to several other people who knew Epstein well. They make the same point. And I know that Epstein would emphasize how he believed Trump was capable of doing anything. He had no scruples.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Wolff urged Epstein to share his story publicly. 'I urged Epstein to go public with everything I've told you here, but Epstein's attitude was that I was unaware of how the real world operated,' Wolff recounted.
First Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
US Justice Department files motion to unseal grand jury transcripts in Epstein case
The move is expected to quell widespread discontent over the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files, as the president's Maga base demanded the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's death and his alleged 'client list' read more A protest group called "Hot Mess" hold up signs of Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump in front of the Federal courthouse on July 8, 2019 in New York City. File Photo/AFP The US Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to unseal grand jury transcripts in the Jeffrey Epstein case after US President Donald Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to 'produce any and all' testimony related to the case. 'The public's interest in the Epstein matter has remained. Given this longstanding and legitimate interest, the government now moves to unseal grand jury transcripts associated with Epstein,' the DOJ said in its filing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The move is expected to quell widespread discontent over the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files, as the president's Maga base demanded the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's death and his alleged 'client list'. The department said that the recent review of the transcripts was to 'determine whether evidence existed that could predicate an investigation into uncharged third parties.' The president's orders on Thursday came hours after he slammed the Wall Street Journal and threatened to sue it for releasing "fake" letters that Trump allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003. The Journal story, which quickly reverberated around the US capital, says the note to Epstein bearing Trump's signature was part of a collection of notes for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. The newspaper says it reviewed the letter but did not print an image. When will the files be made public? While the first steps to unseal the transcripts have been set in motion, it is not yet clear when the files will be made public. Before deciding on the matter, the judge must first consult with the victims and any uncharged individuals mentioned in the testimony, as their identities are protected under federal law. Depending on the timeline established, this process could take weeks, months, or even longer to complete. According to a report by CNN, the grand jury testimony is only a small portion of the thousands of documents related to the Epstein investigation and criminal case, many of which are in the DOJ's custody. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump sues WSJ, Murdoch Trump sued media magnate Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal on Friday over the publication of a bombshell report on his friendship with Epstein. The defamation lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, saw Trump trying to hit back at a scandal threatening to cause serious political damage. The 79-year-old Republican had vowed to sue 'the ass off' Murdoch and his newspaper after it reported that in 2003, the then-real estate magnate wrote a suggestive birthday letter to Epstein, illustrated with a naked woman and referring to their shared 'secret.' With inputs from agencies
Newsweek
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Jeffrey Epstein Rumored Mossad Connection Explained
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Claims amplified by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson have shone a spotlight on Israel and its intelligence agency, Mossad, amid allegations going back years that ex-Israeli officials were close to and worked with Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who died in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on further charges of sex trafficking minors. Why It Matters Carlson's remarks come as President Donald Trump and his administration face one of their biggest political battles, as repeated statements made on the 2024 campaign trail about exposing the so-called "Epstein files," including a client list allegedly in the possession of Attorney General Pam Bondi, have dissipated. The Justice Department recently issued a memo concluding that there was no evidence of a client list or blackmail materials, contradicting these earlier statements. Epstein's case, and the Trump administration's waffling on the purported files related to popular figures who befriended him, has become a major issue in conservative circles, sparking newfound conspiracy theories and continued distrust in federal institutions. It has led to turmoil, especially between Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, the latter of whom is reportedly weighing resignation. Newsweek reached out to the Department of Justice, the FBI and the State Department via email for comment. What To Know Carlson publicly inquired about the Mossad-Epstein connection and past allegations of a symbiotic relationship as part of a larger blackmail operation on behalf of Israeli intelligence during a speech Friday to the conservative youth group Turning Point USA, saying "every single person in Washington, D.C., thinks that." "How does a guy go from being a math teacher at the Dalton School in the late 70s with no college degree to having multiple airplanes, a private island, and the largest residential house in Manhattan?" Carlson said in his Turning Point speech on July 11. "Where did all the money come from?" A protest group called "Hot Mess" hold up signs of Jeffrey Epstein in front of the federal courthouse on July 8, 2019, in New York City. A protest group called "Hot Mess" hold up signs of Jeffrey Epstein in front of the federal courthouse on July 8, 2019, in New York questioning of the source of Epstein's wealth—more widely speculated to result from his forays into finance and philanthropy, which made him well-connected—was strongly disputed by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. "The accusation that Jeffrey Epstein somehow worked for Israel or the Mossad running a blackmail ring is categorically and totally false," Bennett wrote Monday on X. "Epstein's conduct, both the criminal and the merely despicable, had nothing whatsoever to do with the Mossad or the State of Israel. Epstein never worked for the Mossad." He continued: "This accusation is a lie being peddled by prominent online personalities such as Tucker Carlson pretending they know things they don't. They just make things up, say it with confidence and these lies stick, because it's Israel. "There's a vicious wave of slander and lies against my country and my people, and we just won't take it anymore." Ehud Barak and Jeffrey Epstein's Alleged Ties Some X users responded to Bennett's post by posting old press clippings of Epstein's purported relationship with Israeli officials, including a May 2023 story from The Wall Street Journal that was republished by The Times of Israel, which alleges that former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak met with Epstein dozens of times starting in 2013. Barak also met with Epstein monthly for nearly a year, beginning in December 2015, according to the WSJ. In July 2019, The New York Times reported that Barak, then 77, received approximately $2.3 million in payments between 2004 and 2006 from a foundation associated with Epstein. Epstein also invested a reported $1 million in a limited partnership established by Barak in 2015. Barak's purported ties to Epstein were even admonished by current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who at the time called for an investigation into their relationship. Shadow Alliance Former National Security Agency counterspy John Schindler wrote on his Top Secret Umbra blog in January 2024 that Epstein appeared to have been part of a shadowy Israeli influence operation characterized as MEGA. "There's a venerable spook joke that you need to move on from counterintelligence work when, at least once a week, you stare at yourself in the mirror while shaving and think: 'I wonder who he's really working for?'" Schindler wrote. He continued: "That's not a one-pedophile job and, given the industrial scale of Epstein's abuse over decades, with at least hundreds of victims, it would take a considerable retinue if not a small army to keep that sordid operation going and out of public view for any extended period." Financial Relationships A 2021 Rolling Stone story involving inmate Steven Hoffenberg, imprisoned for 18 years for committing a $450 million Ponzi scheme, detailed how Hoffenberg worked with Epstein in the financial sector. Hoffenberg claimed at the time that Epstein moved in intelligence circles. When the author of the piece, Vicky Ward, brought up Hoffenberg's relationship to Epstein himself, the former financier reportedly legally threatened her. "If there's any implication of wrongdoing, I will take legal action against you personally. I'm telling you so you understand," Epstein told Ward in an off-the-record recording made years earlier as part of a Vanity Fair piece and subsequently released in the discovery+ docuseries, Chasing Ghislaine. "I will be as harsh as I possibly can for the magazine, but you, because I had this discussion with you. This relationship is with shouldn't risk your future for a job." Alleged Robert Maxwell Ties A BBC documentary, House of Maxwell, released in 2022, alleged that Robert Maxwell, father of former socialite and convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, had claimed that Epstein helped Maxwell hide hundreds of millions he had stolen from his company's pension funds. Robert Maxwell fell off his yacht to his death in 1991. In 2020, Hoffenberg said on an episode of the Broken: Seeking Justice podcast that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell met as early as 1988 through Robert Maxwell. It was one of the first instances claiming that Epstein and Robert Maxwell had business dealings together, although the podcast did not independently verify the allegations, according to Forbes. What People Are Saying Eric Weinstein, mathematician and a former managing director of Thiel Capital, said during an appearance on the Diary of a CEO podcast, hosted by Steven Bartlett: "I don't know who Jeffrey Epstein was, but I would certainly bet money that he was a product of at least one or more elements of the intelligence community. I don't know who he was. I don't know who ran him. He certainly was not a financier in any standard sense. That was a cover story." British entrepreneur Bartlett asks about Weinstein having met Epstein, and Weinstein says, "He wasn't a financier the day I met him." Weinstein went on to describe Epstein as a "weird guy" who "didn't seem to know a lot about currency trading." Journalist Glenn Greenwald, on X: "1) One of Epstein's closest friends was former Israeli PM Ehud Barak; 2) A key source of Epstein's vast wealth, though mysterious, was from Les Wexner, whose primary life cause is Israel; 3) Ghislaine Maxwell's father - the billionaire Robert Maxwell -- was a Mossad agent who mysteriously died after that was reported. "Though Maxwell was British, Israel gave him a state funeral when he died; 4) Epstein got the red carpet treatment when visiting Israel; 5) Epstein bankrolled major investments in Israeli tech. ... But fine, if Epstein had no ties to Israeli intelligence or any other intel service - which is theoretically possible - why can't Pam Bondi, CIA and FBI say that?" What Happens Next Following Naftali Bennett's strong rebuke of Carlson's claims, the ex-Fox News anchor took to social media to invite Bennett to discuss the matter more thoroughly on his podcast. "Instead of issuing threats on social media, why don't you sit down for a rational interview on Epstein's ties to the Israeli government?" Carlson wrote. "We'll reach out to your office this morning." Bennett had not responded to Carlson's invitation as of Tuesday afternoon.
Irish Independent
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Philip Boucher-Hayes says there are ‘five wannabes' in running to become Liveline host, ‘myself included'
The presenter, who is currently filling in on the show since Joe Duffy's departure from the station last month, joked that Montrose bosses were putting the five contenders 'through their paces' as they vie for the role. He told listeners: "For the avoidance of further confusion, let us set it out once again: RTÉ has not made a decision on this. "There are five wannabes, myself included; in fact probably a hell of a lot more than five wannabes, but there are five wannabes being put through their paces on air before RTÉ makes a decision. 'After that, we will move to the swimwear and ball gown elements of the competition. I think I've got that section nailed down. I want to though, because in the final round is the Hunger Games, they will be placing a big cache of non-lethal weapons under the RTÉ mast and letting us all race to them, grab your preferred weapon and have at it. 'And everybody is hoping, by that stage of the competition, that Sarah McInerney has been taken out because she is very handy with the nunchucks, but the news is no decision made. "Well, maybe they have made a decision after my first week in the chair. But let's leave that aside there is officially no decision made, so on with the show.' Other frontrunners rumoured to be taking over the gig include Sarah McInerney's Drivetime co-host Cormac Ó hEadhra, regular Liveline stand-in, Katie Hannon, and Saturday show presenter, Colm O'Mongáin, Boucher-Hayes is filling in on show for two weeks, and admitted it was a 'daunting' position to fill. In his first show, after Duffy's retirement, the Countrywide presenter urged Liveline listeners to be 'kind' while the permanent host of the show is being decided. He said: "This is actually quite daunting, but Philip, just get on with it and get to the calls, because nothing else has changed about this programme. The number is the same, the production team is the same.' "Hello. Good afternoon. My name is Philip Boucher Hayes. Be kind people,' he added. Joe Duffy retired at the end of June, after being at the helm of the show for 27 years. An audience was present in RTÉ Studio 1 for his final Liveline show, including past callers and former colleagues. In his final sign off, he said: 'Slán go foill. That's all from me from Liveline. Love you all, it's been a privilege. It's been a privilege." Kildare-born Boucher-Hayes lives in Wicklow with Suzanne and their two daughters. He presents Countrywide on Saturday mornings and the Hot Mess podcast, both on RTÉ Radio One. His television work includes Rising Tides, Hot Air and Future Shock: The Last Drop on RTÉ.
Cosmopolitan
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Alix Earle Says She 'Immediately Regretted' Getting Veneers
Just when we thought the internet couldn't get any weirder, Alix Earle started her most recent TikTok by filing down her front tooth. 'I bit it off a little bit at dinner last night, so I want to see if I could smooth it out a little bit,' she said before jokingly quipping, 'Veneer reveal!' The Hot Mess podcast host shared that she had the dental procedure done during her senior year of college in order to straighten her smile, as her two front teeth had shortened from her Invisalign treatment. While she only wanted two veneers, she said her dentist at the time convinced her to get 10. She admitted that she 'immediately regretted' the decision and that she refrained from posting about it because she 'never wants to influence people to do something that I don't think they should do.' Alix then held back tears as she reflected on her regretful decision. 'I think it was really scary for me, and I was like, 'What did I just do?'' she said. 'And I had such good teeth and, I'm like, 'Oh my God, I have to keep up with this for the rest of my life.'' She continued, 'I will say I don't regret a lot, but it is something I really regret doing. At the end of the day, whatever. It was my decision, but I feel like it was kind of one of those decisions that was made pretty fast. And I just didn't think it all the way through or, I think, talk to enough people.' Fans flooded Alix's comments section with love, praising her for her vulnerability. 'This was humanizing, honestly. I appreciate this transparency,' one fan wrote, while another added, 'Regretting things that are irreversible is a different type of pain.' The multihyphenate—who was recently featured on the June cover of Sports Illustrated, nbd—also shared a recent encounter when her tooth chipped in front of Kate Hudson. It fell out as she sipped on a margarita during a party on the Ritz-Carlton cruise line, and Alix said that the Running Point star was 'so, so sweet' about the situation. 'Thank God for her because otherwise I would've been alone, crying about my tooth,' said Alix. Honestly, same.
