Podcast Summary: Deadline: White House

Episode Title: "Roughly half of six million documents have not been released"
Date: February 16, 2026
Host: Alicia Menendez (in for Nicolle Wallace)

Overview

This episode centers on the ongoing fallout from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and their mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein files under the Trump administration. At issue are the DOJ’s claims of compliance with the Epstein Transparency Act, despite millions of documents still unreleased or heavily redacted, and a controversial public list of "politically exposed persons" that includes both plausible connections and outlandish entries like Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. The episode explores survivor perspectives, legal accountability, political consequences for Trump and his allies, and a strong juxtaposition between Trump’s handling of the presidency versus Barack Obama’s approach and presence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The DOJ’s Epstein Files Controversy

• DOJ’s Claim vs. Reality

  • DOJ claims compliance with the Epstein Transparency Act, but "roughly half of these 6 million documents… have not been publicly released." (Alicia Menendez, 00:54)
  • DOJ asserts no redactions were made "on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity." However, the survivor community and lawmakers dispute this.
  • The public release includes a list of 300+ 'politically exposed persons,' many with no clear link to Epstein.

• Critiques from Lawmakers

  • Rep. Ro Khanna: "Have Janis Joplin, who died when Epstein was 17, in the same list as Larry Nassar... with no clarification… is absurd. Release the full files. Stop protecting predators. Redact only the survivors' names." (01:57)
  • Rep. Thomas Massie and others call out the DOJ for political interference and protecting 'the Epstein class.'

• Survivor Perspective

  • Liz Stein (Epstein survivor): "We want to see all of the men who were complicit in this crime to be outed and to be exposed… Every page that I've looked at has some kind of investigative lead… We haven't seen that yet. This isn't about politics. This is about a crime." (03:51)

2. Problems with the DOJ's Process and Privilege Claims

• Intentional Obfuscation

  • Glenn Thrush: “Putting people like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe on there, it's a massive F-you… It's very clear that they don't want you to be able to interpret the list in any meaningful way.” (05:15)
  • The DOJ “have complied with neither the law nor the spirit of the law.”

• Legal Analysis

  • Christy Greenberg: "I don't even know what they're talking about in terms of the deliberative process… Pam Bondi's [AG] appearance… was probably the most self-damaging performance I have seen before a congressional committee." (07:38)
  • Suggests survivors should be at the center of DOJ’s actions, not political considerations.

• Accountability for Co-Conspirators

  • Ben Weider: "Survivors have made it very clear they want accountability that they're not getting from the Justice Department… Why they chose not to prosecute Les Wexner is a question that I think survivors… would like to know." (09:53)

3. Power, Elites, and the ‘Epstein Class’

• Circles of Power and Lack of Accountability

  • Conversation explores whether there’s an ‘Epstein class’—powerful elites that protect each other and remain insulated from consequences.
  • Glenn Thrush: "If you ever needed a picture... of how powerless the victims are seen by this Justice Department… they are so concerned with redactions of various alleged perpetrators, that tells you everything about the power imbalance." (12:35)

• Political Implications for Trump

  • Christy Greenberg: "The Epstein thing, which he believed was a peripheral matter, has now actually become a central drain on his power." (15:07)

• Bannon and Epstein

  • New York Times reporting reveals extensive communications between Steve Bannon and Jeffrey Epstein: “This was dinner plans and travel plans and making introductions… Steve Bannon can claim it was purely business, but clearly they blurred those lines.” (17:20)

4. Interview — Rep. Dan Goldman on DOJ Obstruction & Accountability

(20:19–28:29)

• Redactions to Protect Trump

  • Dan Goldman: "It is a part of a cover up... we have evidence that they are covering up for Donald Trump." (21:54)
  • Suggests the files should be called “the Trump Epstein files.”

• On the List of Politically Exposed Persons

  • “It's to muddy the waters… and a further effort to cover up for the pedophiles and the co-conspirators…” (23:20)

• Next Steps for Oversight

  • "Our first step is to make sure that the American public understands the degree to which this is a massive, massive cover up… at the sacrifice of the survivors and the victims who have suffered so much." (25:00)

• On Congressional Remedies

  • Possible contempt charges for AG Pam Bondi and discussion of litigation to force compliance: "We'll have to use a discharge petition since Mike Johnson is… in on this cover up from the very beginning." (27:04)

5. Contrast: Presidents Trump & Obama (30:19–41:41)

• President Obama’s Presence & Leadership

  • Obama on Trump’s behavior: "There's this sort of clown show that's happening in social media and on television… There doesn't seem to be any shame..." (30:56)
  • Obama’s public appearances and thoughtful commentary contrast sharply with Trump’s social media attacks and focus on self-preservation.

• Discussion — Political & Social Backdrop

  • Eddie Glaud: "Those who support Donald Trump long for a world that never was... President Obama has often figured as this idyllic moment when the nation wasn't explicitly racist…"
  • Basil Smichel: "You long for the days of a president that could speak in a very thoughtful manner… someone who was aspirational in a sense…" (33:03)

• Democracy and Urgency

  • Glaud: “We are in the midst of a five alarm fire with regards to our democracy. All hell is breaking loose around us. I don't want propriety, I don't want decorum. I want reasoned arguments to call these people out for what they're doing to our republic.” (35:41)

• Hope and Civic Engagement

  • Obama: "We should take a moment to appreciate the extraordinary outpouring of organizing, community building, decency… Citizens saying, this is not the America we believe in and we're going to fight back." (39:51)
  • Glaud: “It's to understand that they're going to try to steal the election… We need the voices of people like President Barack Obama to be even more forceful in their description of our current malaise because a lot hangs in the balance…” (40:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Glenn Thrush on DOJ’s List:
  "Putting people like Elvis and Marilyn Monroe on there, it's a massive F-you is the only way I can think to say it." (05:15)

• Liz Stein, Epstein Survivor:
  "This isn't about politics. This is about a crime. We're victims of the crime of sex trafficking." (03:51)

• Dan Goldman on Cover-Up:
  "We have evidence that they are covering up for Donald Trump. So that's what we can actually see… imagine what we can't see in those two and a half to three million files." (21:54)

• Glenn Thrush on DOJ’s Attitude toward Victims:
  "If you ever needed a picture vividly drawn for you of how powerless the victims are seen by this Justice Department… not even worth the dignity and respect of turning around and looking at them and saying, we want to hear from you." (12:35)

• Barack Obama on Trump’s Antics:
  "There's this sort of clown show that's happening in social media and on television… there doesn't seem to be any shame." (30:56)

• Eddie Glaud on Democracy’s Crisis:
  "We are in the midst of a five alarm fire with regards to our democracy… I want reasoned arguments to call these people out for what they're doing to our republic." (35:41)

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:54 — Opening framing of DOJ’s failure to release Epstein documents, overview of controversy
• 03:00 — Rep. Ro Khanna on 'Epstein class' and DOJ's obstruction
• 03:51 — Survivor Liz Stein on the quest for true accountability
• 05:15 — Glenn Thrush: scathing analysis of DOJ’s list and legal non-compliance
• 07:38 — Christy Greenberg/Glenn Thrush on Pam Bondi’s disastrous testimony and DOJ’s privilege rationale
• 09:53 — Ben Weider on survivor exclusion and DOJ’s lack of accountability
• 15:07 — Christy Greenberg: Impact of Epstein files on Trump’s political standing
• 16:32 — Ben Weider on Steve Bannon's extensive communications with Epstein
• 20:19 — Interview with Dan Goldman: DOJ obstruction, possible contempt, litigation options
• 30:56 — Barack Obama’s statement on Trump’s “clown show” and lack of presidential decorum
• 35:41 — Eddie Glaud: “Five alarm fire” for democracy, call for forceful civic response
• 39:51 — Obama and panel reflect on hope, community organizing, and the need for action

Closing Notes

This episode spotlights the gravity of DOJ's alleged cover-up and the lack of justice for Epstein’s survivors, as well as the corrosive effect on American political life. It draws a stark contrast between the current and former presidents — their leadership, public engagement, and their legacies regarding transparency, accountability, and respect for the public. The panelists uniformly call for greater courage, clarity, and urgency in both holding the powerful to account and defending democracy.