No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Damning evidence implicates Trump and Epstein
Date: February 19, 2026
Host: Brian Tyler Cohen
Featured Guests: Rep. Ted Lieu, Kara Swisher, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

Overview

This episode dives into explosive new revelations from files tying former president Donald Trump to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Host Brian Tyler Cohen scrutinizes the legal and political fallout, featuring in-depth conversations with Rep. Ted Lieu, tech journalist Kara Swisher, and Attorney General Keith Ellison. Topics range from the White House’s alleged protection of co-conspirators, media censorship, public accountability, to abuse of power within federal agencies.

Key Discussion Points & Timestamps

1. Trump and Epstein: Damning New Evidence (00:01–05:00)

• Context: Newly released files allegedly contain deeply incriminating allegations against Trump, including sexual assault and threats against minors.
• Congress and the press are pushing for transparency; the Trump administration is resisting, with officials like Pam Bondi and Cash Patel denying any wrongdoing.

Notable quote:
"In those files, there's highly disturbing allegations of Donald Trump raping children... If Jeffrey Epstein was human trafficking minors for these sex parties and you show up and patronize...yes, you're guilty."
— Rep. Ted Lieu (00:20)

2. Interview: Rep. Ted Lieu on Cover-Ups and Accountability (05:00–18:00)

Key Segments

• Stonewalling by DOJ:
  • Lieu details how DOJ officials, including Pam Bondi and Todd Blanche, "lied under oath" by denying the existence of evidence implicating Trump in Epstein's crimes (05:32).
  • The FBI's own materials, such as internal slides and intake forms, reference allegations against Trump, including witness reports never followed up on by DOJ (05:32–06:53).

Notable quote:
"The Department of Justice has confirmed there's over 1,000 victims of Epstein's global pedophilia sex trafficking ring. The Trump Department of Justice has held zero men accountable."
— Ted Lieu (08:23)

• DOJ Inaction vs. International Response:

  • Other countries (France, UAE, UK) are opening criminal probes and taking decisive action while the US stalls (08:23–09:14).

• Republican Complicity:

  • Lieu notes only a handful of Republicans (like Thomas Massie, Nancy Mace) support full transparency; most avoid the issue, enabling the cover-up (09:45–10:29).

• Congressional Strategy:

  • Lieu advocates public pressure, crowdsourcing sifting of >3 million Epstein documents, and relentless questioning of DOJ officials about what evidence they’re withholding (10:51–11:42).

• Concerns about Evidence Destruction:

  • Cohen and Lieu discuss fears that DOJ might destroy incriminating evidence. Lieu references lack of statute of limitations for rape/murder, emphasizing future administrations could still pursue justice (12:09–13:10).

• DOJ Officials as Accessories:

  • Lieu argues officials shielding co-conspirators may be committing crimes themselves (13:19–13:57).

Notable quote:
"Ham Bonnie and Cash Patel committed perjury. That is a crime. Obviously Han Bonnie is not going to prosecute herself."
— Ted Lieu (13:57)

• Political Will in Future Administrations:

  • Lieu stresses that public outrage transcends partisanship; people want accountability regardless of political affiliation (15:27–16:28).

• GOP Silence:

  • Most Republicans, even those privately concerned, refuse to hold Trump accountable on this front, indicating a "cult" mentality (17:10–17:52).

3. Interview: Kara Swisher on Media Censorship & Corporate Collaboration (18:57–38:43)

Key Segments

• Streisand Effect & Media Suppression:
  • The Colbert Show segment on Epstein was pulled from air due to pressure from Trump administration-aligned corporate interests, but subsequently surged online – a textbook Streisand effect (18:58–22:37).
  • Swisher ridicules both the administration’s tech illiteracy and Ellison corporate strategy (“they look like chumps and idiots”) (19:28–20:38).

Notable quote:
"Trump administration, there's a thing called YouTube and you cannot shut it up... There's always ways of getting information out these days."
— Kara Swisher (19:28)

• Corporate Media Collaboration:

  • Swisher slams CBS ownership for caving to government pressure, arguing they’re damaging their own brand and alienating audiences (21:34–24:39).
  • Discusses the hypocrisy of an administration promising “free speech” while actually broadening censorship, suppressing anti-ICE activity, and weaponizing agency heads (24:15–26:08).

• Public and Consumer Responsibility:

  • Swisher encourages consumers to "unsubscribe" from complicit platforms, noting how even small declines in subscribers hurt corporate bottom lines and signal public dissent (29:10–32:28).

Notable quote:
"This is a coin-operated presidency. So let's start to fuck with the coins, right? Let's start to have fewer coins for them to shove in this incredibly corrupt administration."
— Kara Swisher (29:10)

4. Epstein Scandal’s Political Fallout (32:28–38:43)

• Why This Scandal Sticks:

  • Swisher believes the Epstein story will not fade because it strikes at the heart of both MAGA worldview and a bipartisan drive for justice about elites abusing young women (33:02–36:09).
  • Trump’s tactic is to flood the zone and muddy waters, diluting individual accountability (36:25–38:07).

• Pam Bondi & DOJ “Tools”:

  • Swisher and Cohen agree Bondi and other DOJ officials are loyalists serving to shield Trump, not because they’re effective, but because they’re obedient (38:07–38:43).

5. Interview: Keith Ellison on Federal Cover-Ups & Law Enforcement Accountability (38:46–54:18)

Key Segments

• FBI Stonewalling in Minnesota Case:
  • FBI’s refusal to share evidence about the shooting of Alex Preddy with state investigators is “unprecedented” and “feels like a cover-up” (38:57–41:31).
  • Ellison pledges "there's no way…the Minnesota Attorney General's office is going to let this go" (39:30–41:31).

Notable quote:
"It is routine for us to work together…So for them to take this position is novel, it's new, and it raises serious questions…It feels like they're trying to cover something up."
— Keith Ellison (39:30)

• Potential Evidence Tampering:

  • Ellison explains tainted or destroyed federal evidence is not necessarily fatal to prosecution, but weakens a case and makes conviction harder (41:57–43:47).

• Reforming ICE, DHS, and Police Protocols:

  • Advocates for stronger state involvement, transparency, eliminating profiling loopholes, and standardized identification/body camera use in federal law enforcement (44:18–46:52).

• Qualified Immunity Explained:

  • Ellison distinguishes between civil and criminal qualified immunity, both of which shield federal employees under certain conditions but are overapplied, sometimes letting abusers escape accountability (47:19–50:59).

• Multistate Collaboration:

  • State AGs coordinate closely to confront abuse by federal agencies, meet regularly and consult advocacy groups to strategize (50:59–53:45).

Notable quote:
"Free independent media podcasters like yourself, you guys are helping the people know what's going on... If you want to know what's up, you got to listen to this show."
— Keith Ellison (54:04)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Ted Lieu on DOJ cover-up:
  "They are complicit and they cover up. They don't want to talk about this. And they know that Donald Trump is implicated in the Epstein files. He is in the files over 38,000 times..." (09:45)

• Kara Swisher on consumer action:
  "Just stop using their shit... You can do significant damage by just getting rid of, I don't know, pick a streamer... that iterates... Hundreds of dollars here, a hundred dollars there, matters a great deal." (31:44)

• Keith Ellison on unprecedented FBI actions:
  "It is routine for us to work together on the file... So for them to take this position is novel, it's new, and it raises serious questions around what do you plan on doing?" (39:30)

Theme & Tone

The episode is urgent, direct, and bracing—Cohen and his guests speak passionately, often bluntly, about corruption at the highest levels, the failures of institutional accountability, and the necessity of civic and public action. The atmosphere is one of moral outrage loaded with specifics, legal intricacies, and strategic calls to action.

Segment Timestamps

• 00:01–05:00: Cohen’s monologue on new evidence and government inaction
• 05:00–18:00: Interview with Rep. Ted Lieu
• 18:57–38:43: Interview with Kara Swisher
• 38:46–54:18: Interview with Minnesota AG Keith Ellison

Summary

This episode exposes the alleged Trump-Epstein connection as a case study in entrenched elite protection, governmental stonewalling, and endemic institutional rot. Through high-level guests and detailed analysis, Cohen unravels the toxic blend of legal neglect, corporate media betrayal, and the relentless push—by both right and left—for justice and transparency. The conversations underscore the urgent need for public accountability, genuine bipartisan outrage, and practical steps for both lawmakers and consumers to fight back against a system “coin-operated” at the very top.