Balance of Power – Bloomberg

Episode: Latest Release of Epstein Files Has Trump Mentions; Governor Ned Lamont on Wind Farm Pause
Date: December 23, 2025
Hosts: Joe Weisenthal, Kailey Leinz
Guests: Laura Davison (Bloomberg), Congresswoman Becca Balint, Rick Davis (Republican strategist), Jeannie Shan Zaino (Harvard Kennedy School), Governor Ned Lamont (Connecticut)

Overview

This episode of Bloomberg’s Balance of Power dives deep into two major political stories: the latest release of Jeffrey Epstein files—which include new, detailed mentions of former President Donald Trump—and the White House’s abrupt suspension of major wind farm projects off the East Coast, focusing on the Connecticut-based Revolution Wind. The show features reporting, political analysis, and firsthand reactions from both lawmakers and local officials.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Latest Epstein File Dump and Trump’s Involvement

[01:34 – 15:20, 19:05 – 30:40]

Key Developments

• Thousands of new pages in the Epstein case were released by the DOJ, with numerous mentions of Donald Trump, including documented flights on Epstein’s private jet—eight between 1993 and 1996, multiple times alongside Ghislaine Maxwell and unnamed young women.
• Trump has consistently denied flying on Epstein's plane or visiting his island, claims now undercut by these flight logs.
• DOJ issued a rare statement calling some of the released claims “unfounded and false,” raising concerns about politically motivated messaging.

Political & Institutional Reactions

• Laura Davison, Bloomberg:
  “Trump is really, really worried about interest rates in particular... He is not able to compel markets to do exactly what he wants them to do.” (03:07) “He said he was never on the plane, he never went to the island. And now it's showing that he was in fact on the plane. ... This is clearly someone who's in damage control mode.” (05:40)
• Congresswoman Becca Balint (D-VT):
  “He has tried to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein for years now. It was clear that they had a much closer relationship than he will admit to.” (09:09) “Americans can handle the truth. We want to see the documents so that we can make a decision for ourselves.” (09:24) “It is long past time for this administration to come clean on the president’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.” (12:19)
• DOJ statement [08:13]:
  “To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already.”

Congressional Oversight

• Bipartisan calls to hold the Attorney General in contempt for lack of transparency and perceived stonewalling, with both House Democrats (Jamie Raskin) and Republicans (Tom Massie, Ro Khanna) expressing serious concern.
• Balint stresses the importance of full disclosure: “What this whole disgusting case needs is a lot of disinfectant... It’s long past time for that to end.” (13:19)

Notable Quotes & Analysis

• Jeannie Shan Zaino:
  “This drip, drip, drip is going to ... continue ... and that is most unfortunate for the president and for the White House politically because the president wants to be talking today about very good economic news. It is all being drowned out...” (21:53)
• Rick Davis:
  “They’re trapped in their own spin at this point. ... There’s no such thing as a come clean policy at this White House. ... It’s seemingly on the borderline of incompetence.” (23:21, 24:18)

Institutional Failure & Public Accountability

• Both panelists and Rep. Balint point to decades-long institutional failings, especially at the FBI, to act on early, credible reports of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
• “We have an institutional and a government wide problem.” (Jeannie Shan Zaino, 25:34)

Memorable Moments

• The broadcast recounts new revelations, such as a grotesque handwritten letter from Epstein to Larry Nassar found among the latest documents, further implicating the extent and gravity of Epstein’s network. (21:53)

2. Political & Economic Messaging: Trump’s Reaction to Economic Data

[01:34 – 03:39, 28:17 – 30:40]

Market Reaction & Messaging

• Trump took to Truth Social to tout unexpectedly positive GDP numbers (4.3% annualized vs predicted 2.5%) but lamented that “good news” now causes market stagnation or drops due to interest rate hike fears.
• He wishes for a “market the likes of which we haven’t had in many decades, one that goes up on good news, down on bad news. The way it should be.” (Paraphrased, 01:34)
• Analysts note the historic inverse relationship between Main Street economic good news and Wall Street’s fear of interest rate hikes.

Political Analysis

• Trump’s focus remains on market metrics rather than daily affordability issues facing voters, a point emphasized by Laura Davison and echoed by Rick Davis.
• Rick Davis:
  “Only three or four months ago, Joe, we were talking about, has Donald Trump lost his interest in the markets?... He hasn’t made many comments about it lately. And then now he seems obsessed with it all over again.” (28:17) “He can’t get out of his own way to say, we’ve got good economic news today. Let’s celebrate that. So I think the president is frustrated. It is showing through.” (Jeannie Shan Zaino, 29:41)

3. The Wind Farm Pause: Connecticut’s Revolution Wind in the Crosshairs

[32:22 – 43:13]

Policy Context

• The Trump administration has suspended leases for five major wind farms along the East Coast, citing national security (potential radar interference)—despite most projects, like Revolution Wind, already being over 80% complete and previously permitted, even during Trump’s first term.
• The move stands in stark contrast to the administration’s support for nuclear and coal and comes amid surging energy costs and winter heating needs.

Connecticut’s Response (Governor Ned Lamont)

• Gov. Lamont:
  “Not a heck of a Christmas present, was it? ... This was a real shock to our system. They did it to us over Labor Day as well. This time they pulled the permits and we’ve got to fight like heck to come back because you’re never going to bring down the price of electricity New England, unless we get more generation.” (34:16) “No, I think the president said, I don’t like wind power. Come up with another way that you can shut it down. ... But don’t stop us in mid construction for the second time in three months. You’re just blowing a hole in our efforts to bring down the price of electricity in New England.” (35:20) “Our project has been fully vetted, permitted, state, federal, up and down, inside out, every which way you can.” (38:34)

Economic and Political Impact

• Halting the project, which would supply power to 350,000 homes, could sharply increase electricity costs in Connecticut and Rhode Island, especially during peak winter demand.
  • “More likely to spike. We can’t put pipes in the ground to get natural gas and oil. ... The more generation we have, the less spiking energy during very cold periods. And that means we can save money for electric rate bearers.” (36:11)
• Lamont describes the administration’s justifications—first birds and whales, now radar—as pretextual:
  “Last time around it was birds and whales. This time around it’s radar. I don’t know what it’s going to be next time.” (39:57)
• The governor laments the business uncertainty:
  “It makes it very difficult to do business with this administration. Very difficult.” (39:57)

Affordability & State Action

• Connecticut has set aside funds to protect the most vulnerable from surging costs, but Lamont underscores the challenge as federal policies yank supports and block in-state energy solutions.

Memorable Quote

• “Pulling the plug on Revolution win in the ninth inning makes no sense at all.” (42:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Speaker | Key Topics | |-----------|-----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:34–03:39 | Joe Weisenthal, Laura Davison | Trump’s economic messaging, interest rates, market conundrum | | 04:34–06:31 | Joe Weisenthal, Laura Davison | Epstein files: Trump’s denials vs. flight logs, DOJ response | | 08:13–15:20 | Joe Weisenthal, Becca Balint | Congresswoman Balint on full disclosure, committee action, public trust | | 19:05–30:40 | Panel: Weisenthal, Shan Zaino, Davis | Political fallout and institutional failure on the Epstein matter | | 32:22–43:13 | Gov. Ned Lamont, Joe Weisenthal | Wind farm suspension, Connecticut’s energy future, affordability crisis |

Notable Quotes

• Joe Weisenthal on Trump’s “market rule”:
  “He wants a market the likes of which we haven’t had in many decades, one that goes up on good news, down on bad news. The way it should be, he says.” (01:34)

• Laura Davison:
  “This is a lot of like very complicated mental gymnastics here that the President is asking both us as traders to do as he's trying to kind of create this economic message.” (03:58)
  “Trump, however, is still very motivated by some of those metrics that, you know, your average person isn't watching. ... Whereas people are still like, hey, my rent feels expensive. ... My grocery bill is 25% up from what it was a couple of years ago.” (03:58)

• Rep. Becca Balint:
  “Americans can handle the truth. ... What this whole disgusting case needs is a lot of disinfectant, a lot of very powerful men and some powerful women have been protected. And it's long past time for that to end.” (13:19)

• Jeannie Shan Zaino:
  “This drip, drip, drip is going to ... continue... and that is most unfortunate for the president and for the White House politically because the president wants to be talking today about very good economic news. It is all being drowned out...” (21:53)

• Gov. Ned Lamont:
  “Our project has been fully vetted, permitted, state, federal, up and down, inside out, every which way you can.” (38:34)
  “This hurricane jerky, on again, off again. First they did in tariffs, then they didn't snap. Now they're doing wind power. Makes it very difficult to do business with this administration. Very difficult.” (39:57)

Tone and Original Language

The tone throughout is journalistic, analytical, and occasionally incredulous—reflecting both the gravity of the Epstein revelations and the political frustration over the wind energy shutdown. Guests and hosts maintain a sense of urgency, skepticism, and directness, especially as they discuss transparency, government accountability, and the economic hardships felt by constituents.

Summary Takeaways

• The Epstein file dump is politically explosive, directly implicating Donald Trump in previously denied associations, and raising bipartisan demands for transparency.
• The Trump administration faces sharp criticism for its economic messaging disconnect and for abruptly suspending already-permitted renewable energy projects, with real consequences for energy prices and business stability.
• Across both stories, guests highlight a crisis of public trust and the need for transparency and institutional accountability.

For listeners who missed the episode:
You’ll get a nuanced understanding of how the Epstein files are reshaping political discourse, particularly around Trump's denials and the administration's response, as well as an inside view of state-level frustration with the federal government’s unpredictable energy policy—delivered with unfiltered commentary from both politicians and experts.