Michael Wolff joins Daily Beast Executive Editor Hugh Dougherty to unpack a new Wall Street Journal report that could spell real trouble for Donald Trump: a 2003 birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein alongside a nude sketch. Wolff clarifies Trump's deep and well documented relationship with Jeffrey Epstein—and why MAGA media, led by Bannon and Tucker Carlson, won’t let it go. As Trump scrambles to distract with bizarre stunts and conspiracy bait, even his allies are rattled. This time, Wolff warns, denial might not save him. Wolff, who’s chronicled Trump’s rise in four bestsellers, describes a man entering his “lame duck phase,” besieged by rivals and a serious newly revealed medical condition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How Creepy Epstein Tried to Keep His Crimes Secret
Tina Brown joins Daily Beast Executive Editor Hugh Dougherty to revisit the scandal she helped break wide open—Jeffrey Epstein—and how it now threatens to fracture MAGA from within. Brown, co-founder of The Daily Beast and former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, reflects on commissioning the explosive 2010 Epstein exposé that first named names like Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Larry Summers. She recalls Epstein’s chilling intimidation tactics—including showing up uninvited to her office—and explains how he leveraged social status, political donations, and kompromat to shield himself for decades. Brown also reveals that Ghislaine Maxwell was more socially visible than Epstein in the 1990s and how her husband exposed Robert Maxwell as a crooked businessman years earlier. As new revelations emerge—including that an FBI source warned Epstein “would never make it to trial”—Brown unpacks why this scandal still haunts Trump, whose bond with Epstein spanned 15 years. She describes how Trump’s recent meltdown on Truth Social, dismissing his base as “weak” and “stupid,” signals a dangerous rupture. And with MAGA obsessed with pedophilia conspiracies, Brown warns: this may be the one scandal Trump can’t shake—because for once, his base might not let him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Now Trump is Really Scared By Epstein: Wolff
Michael Wolff joins Daily Beast Executive Editor Hugh Dougherty to unpack the chaos of what may be the first lasting MAGA civil war—and why it centers on Jeffrey Epstein. Wolff, who's authored 4 biographies on Trump, was present when Steve Bannon met Epstein. Wolff exposes the bizarre triangle between Trump, Bannon, and Epstein, including how Bannon became a key promoter of the very conspiracy he’s entangled in. Wolff describes how MAGA influencers are now caught between defending Trump and pursuing the elite-exposing narrative they helped create. He also reveals that Trump once considered pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell and had known her since the early days of his deep friendship with Epstein. As Trump lashes out on Truth Social and desperately struggles to change the subject, Wolff suggests this scandal might finally stick—or at least rattle him more than most. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Why Putin Thinks Trump is 'F***ing Awesome': Author
Obama White House veteran David Litt joins Joanna Coles to talk about his new book about surviving the age of Trump—and what America's rivals really think about the current president. He explains what is going through Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping's head as they watch Trump from afar and what Trump saw in America that powered him to victory twice. Litt talks about his new book "It's Only Drowning" which he wrote after turning to surfing when the first Trump presidency plunged him into depression. He became hooked on the sport with his Joe Rogan-listening, Trump-voting, brother-in-law, finding a bond with someone he admits he has "nothing in common with." But it led to him realizing what had gone wrong for Democrats and why his party needs to engage with, not retreat from, platforms like Rogan’s. Litt explains how the MAGA coalition’s anti-authority ethos—rooted not just in politics but in personal psychology—has outpaced the left’s ability to tell its story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Epstein Sent This Ominous Note Just Before He Died
Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to unpack the surreal world of Jeffrey Epstein—from the salons of Manhattan’s elite to the shadowy corners of MAGA conspiracy. Wolff, who cultivated Epstein as a source and planned to have breakfast with him the morning after his arrest, reveals the financier’s deep ties to figures like Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, and Bill Gates. He shares the eerie final message Epstein sent Wolff before his death—and challenges both the suicide narrative and the murder theory. Wolff debunks the myth of a “client list,” critiques the DOJ’s recent denial of foul play, and exposes the hypocrisy of right-wing figures like Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, who once demanded answers and now run the very agency saying there’s “nothing to see.” He also examines Epstein’s enigmatic financial empire, his influence over powerful men, and the unspoken role Trump’s inner circle may play in concealing the case. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Daily Beast Podcast is as wildly exciting, energizing, and entertaining as the topics it covers. Hosted by Joanna Coles, Chief Content Officer of the Daily Beast, every episode brings you more of the people, politics, and pop culture coverage you need straight from the Daily Beast newsroom. Amazing conversations have included Amber Ruffin, Tiffany Haddish, Mika Brzezinski, Don Lemon, John Oliver and more!New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.If you’re not already a subscriber to The Daily Beast, it’s easy! Just go to thedailybeast.com to sign up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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