How Trump’s Shutdown Blocks the Epstein Files

Could Trump’s shutdown be the key to keeping the Epstein files sealed?

On this episode of the Tara Palmeri Show, explore the intensifying Epstein scandal as Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick brands the financier the greatest blackmailer ever, recounting a 2005 encounter at Epstein's Manhattan townhouse where a massage table setup raised alarms and prompted him to cut ties immediately. Contrasting DOJ and FBI findings deny credible evidence of blackmail or a client list, yet bipartisan calls mount for Lutnick to testify amid fresh estate documents revealing tentative 2014 island plans with Elon Musk, a 2017 lunch with Peter Thiel, and a 2019 breakfast with Steve Bannon, alongside logs of flights with Prince Andrew and massages for Bill Gates. As Trump's government shutdown stalls federal probes and document releases, Tara breaks it down on Nicolle Wallace's Deadline: White House with MSNBC analyst Tim Miller, unpacking the political pressure, societal failures in protecting vulnerable girls, and why powerful figures ignored red flags like daily "massages" that victims describe as assaults.

What role do you think figures like Bannon, Musk, and Thiel played in Epstein's orbit after his conviction? Share your thoughts below

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Tara Palmeri is one of the most feared and fearless reporters covering power and politics. She has 15 years of experience covering national politics and foreign affairs. She was formerly a White House Correspondent for ABC News where she covered the first Trump administration. She was the chief National Correspondent for POLITICO during the Biden administration. She has been a political analyst for CNBC, CBS and CNN. She started her career as a columnist for the Washington Examiner and then went on to report for the New York Post. She was a foreign correspondent for POLITICO Europe, where she covered international affairs, including Brexit. She hosted the Ringer's political podcast "Somebody's Gotta Win" and wrote a column for Puck. Tara also hosted two acclaimed podcasts on Jeffrey Epstein, "Broken: Jeffrey Epstein" and "Power: The Maxwells." Tara currently hosts the Tara Palmeri Show.

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