New Epstein pics put heat on DOJ for December deadline

Summary

Podcast Summary
"The Beat with Ari Melber"
Episode: New Epstein pics put heat on DOJ for December deadline
Date: December 15, 2025

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Episode Overview

This episode centers on the newly released Jeffrey Epstein photographs, which include images of high-profile politicians and wealthy men. Ari Melber analyzes the political, legal, and ethical ramifications of their release, the transparency demands driving congressional and public scrutiny, and the coming Department of Justice (DOJ) deadline to release all Epstein files. With guests including New York Times writers Molly Zhang and Michelle Goldberg, the episode confronts the complex challenges of transparency, accountability, and victim protection amidst the latest developments in the Epstein investigation. Later, 50 Cent joins for a lively conversation on hip hop, culture, and success.

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Key Segments and Discussion Points

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1. Release of New Epstein Photographs and Congressional Oversight

[00:55 – 10:26]

• What’s New: Congress (specifically the House Oversight Committee) has released 95,000 images from Epstein’s estate, including never-before-seen photographs of former Presidents Trump and Clinton, Trump allies (such as Steve Bannon), Bill Gates, Woody Allen, and various high-profile individuals.
• Photo Content: While some images are innocuous—public events, group shots—others are more intimate, showing key figures with Epstein.
• Redactions: Many faces, particularly of women, are redacted, balancing transparency with protection of potential victims.
  • Ari Melber: “It is one thing to read about and hear about some of these relationships... another thing to see them with your own eyes.” [00:55]
• Context Matters: Melber stresses the importance of context, emphasizing that presence in a photograph does not imply guilt or involvement in criminal activity.
  • “Depending especially on the size of the event, [a photo] does not tell you whether other people are part of the alleged criminal activity... That’s an important distinction both in law and in fair journalism.” [02:50]
• White House Response: The Trump White House accuses Democrats of cherry-picking images and creating a false narrative, despite Trump’s previous vows to release all Epstein files.

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2. DOJ Release Deadline and Legal Implications

[05:49 – 13:05]

• DOJ Under Pressure: The DOJ faces a legal deadline (Dec. 19) to release all Epstein files—photos, emails, videos—following a law signed by Trump. The episode debates whether the administration will fully comply.
• Potential Non-Compliance: Melber notes criminal implications if the DOJ fails to release these materials. “This is a new law with criminal implications. If they don’t follow it, that’s some of the heat they’re putting on the DOJ and Trump White House.” [12:22]
• Congressional Dynamics: Both Democrats and some Republicans (e.g., Rep. Thomas Massie) are pressing for transparency, breaking typical partisan lines.

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3. Evaluating the Content and Redaction Practices

[08:45 – 13:55]

• Photo Analysis: Both Molly Zhang and Ari Melber underscore the need for careful, non-sensationalized interpretation—the majority of material is not as salacious as some headlines suggest.
  • Molly Zhang: “It doesn’t necessarily mean anything about the people in [the photos]... but obviously they had some kind of, you know, even very peripheral relationship.” [08:45]
• Victim Protection: Special caution is taken with redacting images to protect the identity and privacy of victims.
  • “They are very worried about keeping a lot of this redacted and not injuring the victims. That should be where everyone’s mind is at.” [09:30]

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4. The Steve Bannon/Epstein Relationship Unveiled

[18:16 – 23:41]

• Under-scrutinized Links: Michelle Goldberg highlights the overlooked depth of Steve Bannon’s relationship with Epstein, documented both in pictures (including a now-famous mirror selfie) and extensive emails from 2018-19.
  • Michelle Goldberg: “Epstein’s relationship with Steve Bannon, I think, has been really under scrutinized.... he was deeply involved in this kind of rehabilitation project.” [18:16]
• Efforts to Rehab Reputation: Bannon was complicit in efforts to rehabilitate Epstein’s image, going so far as to make 15 hours of video for a possible documentary—footage that has yet to be released.
  • Ari Melber: “Why is one of Trump’s top aides... telling Epstein in no uncertain all-caps terms, ‘you’re not that guy’” [25:14]
• Email Excerpts: Bannon and Epstein strategized around secret meetings, reputation management, and use of hidden entrances to avoid press scrutiny.

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5. Possibility of Blackmail Material and Impact on Investigations

[14:06 – 16:20]

• Blackmail Questions: There are congressional claims of photographic and video evidence depicting explicit acts, raising the specter of blackmail of government officials.
  • Ari Melber: “There are a lot of open questions about whether Mr. Epstein kept extra records, videos and otherwise, for the purpose of blackmail.” [14:13]
• Victim Trauma and Privacy Risks: Molly Zhang warns of further trauma to victims if materials are not responsibly handled:
  • “There’s certainly some terrible stuff. It has to be released in a way that is so careful for these women who have been through so much.” [15:06]

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6. Political Fallout and Republican Party Tensions

[32:27 – 37:49]

• RNC Chair Admits Trouble: The head of the Republican National Committee concedes the party faces “almost certain defeat” in upcoming midterms, citing Trump’s declining approval on key issues like immigration and the economy.
  • Ari Melber on RNC Chair: “He is being rejected and resisted by his own party. Sometimes that means just overriding him, like on the Epstein vote.” [32:27]
• Fractures in GOP: State-level Republican lawmakers are distancing themselves from Trump’s directives, evident in the Indiana congressional map fight.

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7. Interview: 50 Cent on Music, Culture, and Success

[37:49 – 42:54]

• Enduring Audience: 50 Cent attributes his global audience’s loyalty to their growth alongside him since his debut.
  • 50 Cent: “My audience is running the world at the present moment because they grew up... It’s not finding a new audience, it’s finding the same audience through television.” [37:49]
• Rap’s Absence from the Top 40: He explains that violence and the demise of artists has impacted hip hop’s mainstream presence.
• Industry Changes: Young artists today have easier access to upload music but face new forms of struggle.
  • “They can take their material, upload it to YouTube and they can shoot a video on their camera... I had to trick bootleggers into thinking that it was worth stealing.” [39:33]
• Lightning Round (Selected Highlights):
  • On justice for Diddy: “He’ll be home soon.” [40:14]
  • An artist needs to sell out a world tour: “Timeless music.” [40:28]
  • On hard work vs. talent: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work.” [41:23]
  • Favorite villain: “I kind of like Diddy.” [40:53]
  • When accused of trolling: “I’m just... I’m conditioned. I’m doing what you’ve conditioned me to do.” [41:15]
  • Dr. Dre or Eminem: “Eminem, if I had to.” [42:01]

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8. Calls for Continued Accountability

[42:54 – End]

• Democratic Lawmaker on Next Steps: Focus shifts to following the money, issuing bank subpoenas, and unearthing deeper levels of Epstein’s financial and criminal connections.
  • “We need a subpoena to get the emails attached to these photos. We need all that information.” [43:27]
• Closing: The DOJ’s compliance with the upcoming deadline remains in question. The story will continue evolving, with more releases and investigative pursuit promised.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It is one thing to read about and hear about some of these relationships... another to see them with your own eyes.” — Ari Melber [00:55]
• “It doesn’t necessarily mean anything about the people in them... obviously they had some kind of... even very peripheral relationship.” — Molly Zhang [08:45]
• “Epstein’s relationship with Steve Bannon... has been really under-scrutinized.” — Michelle Goldberg [18:16]
• “This case shouldn’t resolve with transparency that smears women. I don’t think that’s additive.” — Ari Melber [11:32]
• “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work.” — 50 Cent [41:23]
• “There’s certainly some terrible stuff. It has to be released in a way that is so careful for these women who have been through so much.” — Molly Zhang [15:06]
• “If the DOJ doesn’t release the files... it’s a crime if they don’t.” — Ari Melber [12:22]
• “I kind of like Diddy.” — 50 Cent, on his favorite villain [40:53]

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Timestamps for Key Sections

• [00:55] – Start of Epstein Segment / Context on photo release
• [05:29] – Congressional reactions; DOJ deadline discussed
• [08:45] – Molly Zhang on interpretation and victim protection
• [10:26] – Melber: Selectivity of released material, redactions
• [12:22] – Legal risks for DOJ noncompliance
• [14:13] – Blackmail possibility, content sensitivity
• [18:16] – Michelle Goldberg on Bannon/Epstein relationship
• [25:14] – Melber details Bannon/Epstein emails and alliances
• [32:27] – Republican Party fragmentation and polling
• [37:49] – 50 Cent interview segment
• [42:54] – Congressional Democrat on financial trails and next steps

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Conclusion

This episode plunges into the renewed Epstein controversy with analysis, first-hand reporting, and a focus on legal, political, and human stakes. It champions responsible transparency, critiquing political spin and emphasizing protection for victims. The conversations with Molly Zhang and Michelle Goldberg provide journalistic and investigative rigor. The episode rounds out with cultural commentary from 50 Cent, tying together the show’s blend of hard news and contemporary culture.

Transcript

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[Ari Melber]

Find your next [e-mail] powered by auto Intelligence welcome to the beat. We begin with the newly released evidence. These are Jeffrey Epstein photos that are coming to light for the first time today. They feature powerful politicians, including from both parties, and some of the world's richest men. Now, this is part of 95,000 images that were lawfully provided under these further transparency pushes. And these came from Epstein's estate, from his computer, emails and other documentation under, as I mentioned, a lawful subpoena from Congress, specifically the House Oversight Committee. These are newly coming to light. We're going to give you context as you see them. It is one thing to read about and hear about some of these relationships. There's Steve Bannon, Trump ally with Woody Allen. Another thing to see them with your own eyes and make your own judgments. House Democrats released about 85 images. Some include Trump. One includes former President Clinton. Trump surrounded by women who are in, I should say, Hawaiian lays, their faces redacted by the committee. Another one shows Trump with an unidentified woman. We don't know without further context why the Epstein estate had or saved these, what Jeffrey Epstein's interest was in them, whether or not they relate to something that Trump's own cabinet official has called alleged blackmail. The answers and context for that kind of question. Those kind of issues would come up, of course, when we get the fuller Epstein files, which DOJ must turn over with a looming deadline. I'll get into that shortly. But the estate did not have written context with these images. The mirror selfie now seen round the world shows what you see here very simply. Sex trafficker Epstein holding the phone next to close to him, flanking him, longtime Trump ally, former White House official Steve Bannon. We've reported on their extensive relationship, including their furtive, secret efforts to, according to Bannon, help rehab Epstein's reputation. That included during a period where Trump was not having known contact with Epstein. And yet here was his ally helping him. And I have more on that later this hour as we dig through the context of, of some of these photographs. Here's a photo of President Bill Clinton signed. You can see Epstein and his now convicted and imprisoned associate, Jelaine Maxwell, and Jimmy Buffett and his widow. We should mention now one thing that's important about these photos and anyone who's followed any type of journalistic investigative reporting where you have, say, one person accused of wrongdoing or convicted in the case of Maxwell and then other people is being in the email, in the photo or at the event, depending especially on the size of the event, does not tell you whether the other people are part of the alleged criminal activity. And that's an important distinction both in law and in fair journalism. And many of the prominent people listed here had been previously tied to him in some manner. They have denied wrongdoing connected to Epstein. Several have said they didn't know about the extent of Epstein's now convicted crimes back then. The White House says that the Congress is cherry picking these photos. The Democrats on the committee made what they view as, quote, random redactions. And all of it is to, they allege, quote, try and create a false narrative. Now, one point on that I want to show you, of course, what the White House is saying, because that's part of the story and the reporting. And they, like other entities and individuals caught up in this, have every right to respond and explain the context. But when they say that releasing the evidence creates a false narrative, that is, of course, a contradiction with Trump's own claims. He spent 2024 vowing to release the files. That includes written files, photographic files, video evidence, includes all of it. And so he claimed he would do it, he failed to do it. And then, as you probably know, if you follow the news, was forced into doing it by signing that law with the deadline looming. So for his own White House to come around and say they're against the thing that he claimed he would do, then recently signed a law to do is, at a minimum, rich, and it raises questions of its own. Will they comply with the new law they signed? And of course, why are they afraid of all this evidence and video? As for a top Democrat on the committee, he says there's more to come.

[Congressional Democrat]

Our plan is to demand that the President release the files and we'll see what he does on the 19th. But I think again, these pictures, some of these photos are really disturbing and I know we've put some out today. There are many others. And some of the other photos that we did not put out today are incredibly disturbing.

[Ari Melber]

That's an assessment from a lawmaker who has seen more than anyone because they got the materials under subpoena. We also have reporting that a source who knows where the House probe is headed says, quote, fewer than 1,000 images actually contain any nudity. That's from Ms. Now reporting. And again, if that makes this sound less salacious or exciting, so be it. But we want to fact check some of the claims and vows we've heard with what others say could be less than an explosive cachet coming. Ms. Now has obtained the COVID letter from Epstein's estate. It said it was unable to confirm whether they were taken at the property owned, rented, operated or used by Epstein. Now that matters. Because Epstein is dead, those lawyers have a legal obligation to comply with subpoenas and tell the truth. Of course, you're always on the lookout for any potential cover up. But that information could be helpful to some of the people pictured. Because again, as I mentioned, in fairness, if you are at a event in New York randomly or Miami or LA randomly, that's not the Epstein estate and you're in one photo that could be different than flying out to meet him. Some photos we can identify the location. And if you were at a very small group gathering or intimate thing, that again could be different from other elements of how he lived his life. And in fairness, it is clear there are some people who seem to very clearly know about what he was up to. The birthday book, incriminating. For that reason, there are others who in passing may have been at these fancy events and been at wrong place, wrong time. It's easy to go on the Internet or a podcast and paint everyone with one brush. The harder work. But the work that does matter to get the case and the story right and deal with accountability is for the the government, the investigators as well as other investigative journalists and try to determine what is the truth. The photos are a piece of that. Now the DOJ faces the big deadline Friday. If you remember when this law was passed, well, time keeps ticking on. You see on the calendar, the Epstein files deadline is Friday, December 19th. That is because they gave them one month to comply from when it passed in November, putting huge pressure on the DOJ and the Trump White House to comply with the law. They signed or be caught in another Epstein debacle of their own making. I'm joined by contributing writer from the New York Times, Molly Zhang. Fast welcome to you. If you look at, say, here's a Bill Gates photo which does not have a date. He has already been linked to Epstein and discussed. This is from getting on the jet, but he's discussed what he says was a mistake to ever meet with the guy. He says it was only about philanthropy. Woody Allen, who has his own long history, seen here, the house, has obscured the woman's face at that table. What does a picture worth a thousand words mean with evidence like this coming public for the first time tonight?

[Molly Zhang]

What I think is really important, Ari, is what you said. Again, a picture can mean any number of things. And none of these people are guilty being in a picture. Right. That's. We just don't know. We don't have enough information. One of the things that I think is really important to remember about this is getting this information because oversight has really been doing its job. And Robert Garcia, who you showed before, is the ranking member of oversight. And I have to say, like, I've been really impressed. You know, they subpoenaed the Epstein estate and got these pictures. These are not part of the law that Donald Trump signed, you know, into law. That stuff will get released, you know, legally should be released by Friday, again, who knows? But I do think it's really important to see that these photos are coming out. It doesn't necessarily mean anything about the people in them, but it also is, you know, obviously they had some kind of, you know, even very peripheral relationship. And the truth is that, you know, there was a lot, you know, when I think we'll see more information in these photos. And again, Garcia talked about how, you know, they are very worried about keeping a lot of this redacted and not injuring the victims. And that should be where everyone's mind is at. And you'll see, you know, a lot of those photos are redacted. Maybe they don't even need to be redacted. But they've been very careful, which I think is good. And. And I think they're really trying to be careful about what they release. And I just want to push back on what the White House said. You know, the White House said, well, these are partisan pictures. But, you know, they did release a picture with Bill Clinton, who is known to have been a Democratic president.

[Ari Melber]

True. And this involves how you release material as you get it, the ultimate cache. And the files will be voluminous. Just like the emails were. It really comes down to order. I mean, we live in a, in a, in a culture now where not everyone finishes the article, let alone a book length set of Epstein files. So they did release, for example, those early emails and there was a lot of discussion that the first ones mentioned Trump. But we got all the emails. I have more to remind people about the Bannon relationship because we got the emails and that blew the lid on things. They were in email saying, let's keep this a secret. Private entrances, cloak and dagger. Now we have the selfie photo. So I have more on that later tonight, but to the point of selectivity. Yeah, you get more of it. The deadline looms and it is interesting that the House is trying to sort of say if you play games on this, we already have some of this stuff so these photos and more can come out and it's not going to work. That dog won't hunt, as they sometimes say to over redact. Obviously there are fair redactions. I think any honest person can, can agree with that. To your point. And we can show again the. There's a photo where women's faces are redacted. I'll put that back up. From an investigative view, it wouldn't be fair to just list all these women's faces if you don't know whether this is a case where some are alleged as victims, some are alleged as, as sex workers, others might be bystanders. So you don't just put someone's face out on TV and the Internet and half the audience thinks that they fit a category that's not fair to them. And this, this case shouldn't resolve with transparency. That smears women. I don't think that's additive. I don't think that's what honest brokers would do. I want to play a little bit of Republican Massie talking about the deadline. Take a listen. If DOJ doesn't release the files it.

[Congressional Democrat]

Has by next Friday, is there anything.

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Congress can do to compel that to happen?

[Ari Melber]

Well, I mean, it's a crime if they don't. It's not like they're in contempt of Congress because they didn't respond to a subpoena. This is a new law with criminal implications. If they don't follow it, that's some of the heat they're putting on. The truth is a bit more nuanced. You can go back to Watergate. There are fights about evidence where even a lawful subpoena or a law from Congress signed by the President takes a lot of time. If the executive chooses to fight. But what does it tell you that some Republicans aren't going along with the usual, oh, I hope Trump does the right thing line? They're already saying, no, you better.

[Molly Zhang]

Right. And again, this is a consequence of Trump. Right. Mike Johnson was the speaker that Donald Trump wanted. Mike Johnson did not have a ton of experience. Mike Johnson has alienated a lot of Republicans in the House. And so we have discharge petitions, like the discharge petition that got this Epstein information signed into law. I mean, we, you know, it's funny, so often we see Donald Trump do something that he thinks will help him that ultimately ends up being very problematic for him. And you have Thomas Massie is just out there freelancing, and he is not, you know, he does not. You feel that the speaker does not have the faith of a lot of these Republicans because they're doing these discharge petitions. So it is really interesting to see the caucus has really left him.

[Ari Melber]

Yeah. I want to play another Democratic member talking about what else they have that hasn't come out. This was a, in a statement to cnn.

[Molly Zhang]

Do you have pictures of people engaged in sexual acts as part of this.

[Ari Melber]

As part of this release? Yes, there are pictures of people engaged in sexual acts, Molly. Again, there has to be a serious fairness about how that information is used and other laws are implicated. Having said that, there are a lot of open questions about whether Mr. Epstein kept extra records, videos and otherwise, for the purpose of blackmail, which then raises questions about whether government officials in either party were blackmailed or responding to other powerful people who were blackmailed. And, and if so, there could be extra crimes to review your view of what I think is a rather extraordinary statement by that member of Congress, either it's true, see above the blackmail issue. If it's not that, we would eventually learn that, and that would be quite a false claim. So it's a big deal. What do you think of that?

[Molly Zhang]

Yeah, I mean, look, there were video cameras in a lot of these rooms. We know the FBI had hundreds of hours of videos and tapes. I mean, this makes a lot of sense. And we've heard Congressman Garcia say something to the same effect. Right. That there's blackmail material, that they're all pretty traumatized by whatever it is they've seen. And they're very worried about redacting the faces of the victims in order to not create more damage for these women who have been through hell. So I do think it's fair to say that there's certainly some terrible stuff. It has to be released in a way that is so careful for these women who have been through so much and where it does not make, you know, it does not re traumatize them or make them, you know, some of these women are scared for their lives and, and, or make them, you know, give them more public scrutiny because that is not what anyone wants. And so I think they're really trying to walk a line here. But the reason why oversight is doing a good job here is that they are keeping the pressure on the DOJ to release this information and to show that they can run a check on it to some extent because otherwise, you know, we just don't have a lot of faith in the Trump DOJ for obvious reasons.

[Ari Melber]

Yeah. Molly, stay with me. Michelle Goldberg, who's been reporting on this, writing about in the Times when we return in 90 seconds.

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[Ari Melber]

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[Michelle Goldberg]

So I don't think you know, as Molly said, Before, I don't think we learned all that much. It was no secret that Jeffrey Epstein had relationships with a lot of these men. What I do think some of these photos, at least underlined is the relationship with Epstein. I mean, sorry, the relationship. Epstein's relationship with Steve Bannon, I think, has been really under scrutinized. You know, there's a lot of other people who found these files whose reputations have been reevaluated. I mean, Larry Summers has had to step down from his position or his responsibilities at Harvard, whereas Steve Bannon, who was deeply involved in this kind of rehabilitation project and who still has 15 hours reportedly of video footage of Epstein that he hasn't released, he has kind of gotten a pass maybe because he has close relationships with some of the right wing influencers who've other, who've pushed the stories in other fora. I mean, that I can't say. I just think again that the closeness of that relationship, like, I don't think I have mirror selfies with my very best friend.

[Ari Melber]

Yeah, I mean, go on. Because you're speaking to one aspect that photos and certain types of evidence, fact checks, which is we get denials that minimize. Well, this was a business meeting or, and I did mention in fairness, some people, including some women, could be in photos with him in public places that have nothing to do with the criminal activity at his residences. But on the other hand, to your point, Michelle, for some people in Trump World and other business officials who said, oh, well, it was only this, the photos help undercut that it looks like actually there's quite a bit of socializing, not just quote, unquote, networking.

[Michelle Goldberg]

Right. And again, I mean, I think we knew this from some of the, from the emails that have been released. And we saw that Bannon's relationship with Epstein was extraordinarily close, that, you know, Bannon was giving him all kinds of advice, maybe sending a plane to pick him up at one point. I mean, these were two, you know, these, these were men who were working very closely together at a time when Bannon was still very much in Trump world. And so, you know, again, I mean, it's just the, for some reason, I think Bannon has successfully pivoted on this issue and he was able to then sort of make a lot of hay about being someone demanding the truth about Epstein, saying at one point that Epstein was the key that picks the lock of all sorts of, I think, globalist conspiracies. And yet there's not been any real public demand that he give up all of the information that he's, that he's been able to collect.

[Ari Melber]

Molly?

[Molly Zhang]

Yeah, I mean, I think Michelle has a really good point. And there are a lot those photos, do they sort, they, they speak to a certain level of intimacy. Right. It's not just the pilot and someone. It's like two of them hanging out together. But, yeah, for sure. I mean, those videos should be released. And again, you know, this is just to make the case again that this is Democratic leadership doing actually a really good job here because they are put this pressure is out there now. And look, if Steve Bann releases all that video, that could be extremely helpful for any number of reasons. Right. Just like a lot of this is a case that just needs to be solved. Right. Like what happened to these women. And, you know, and I do think that this would be really helpful. So I do think that the push from the Oversight committee to show we have these photos and we can run a check if you try to redact everything just to protect powerful men, which is not what anyone, I think, who signed that discharge petition wants.

[Ari Melber]

And Michelle, you've written about the almost politically psychic or psychological ballast of this story for different individuals. And I'm not sure where we are in a very unpredictable story, but something larger has been uncorked where some of the people fomenting it have clearly lost control of it. Where do those sort of issues in the public interest in this go as we head into what is, of course, the holiday season? I mean, you could probably duck out Christmas at New Year's, but this doesn't seem like something that people would stop caring about in January if they think that the Trump DOJ is now, and I say this potentially not currently, but potentially illegally hiding the material.

[Michelle Goldberg]

And this would be my guess, is that one reason that oversight is releasing these photos and kind of dribbling out more and more is just to keep this in the news so that if Trump decides to do something shady with this deadline, they're able to marshal public pressure to just remind them that there are still all of these, you know, sort of unsolved mysteries about this case, and there's still huge amounts of information that are out there, but that the public hasn't seen.

[Ari Melber]

Yeah. And as you say, there are many different efforts to get stuff into the news. The public relations industry has that goal all year round. But when you drop hard, real evidence of a Democratic president and a Republican president with a deceased sex trafficker. Yeah, it's going to make news. I want to thank both of you as we've gotten into all of this in detail. Michelle Goldberg and Molly Zhang, fast. My thanks. And Michelle, rightfully mentioned, Mr. Bannon has at times not gotten full scrutiny for his strong links, some of them previously hidden links to Epstein. Well, that's our special report coming up. Is that not a sop? Because of all the depravity you've done against young women? Your new SOP is that their women's thinking is the future. No, I've always believed that women will in fact be able to take over. I'm a firm believer and supporter of Time Zone. A clip from their collab that still has not come out. Many hours of video as mentioned and other big political news today, the head of the Republican Party says they are facing a disaster in the midterms, kind of the opposite of hyping. We're going to tell you what he said and why it's making waves and has Trump nervous. And by the end of the hour on the beat tonight, 50 cents.

[Michelle Goldberg]

Home to the Rachel Maddow Show, Morning Joe, the briefing with Jen Psaki and more voices you know and trust. Ms. NOW is your source for news, opinion and the world. Our name is new, but you'll find the same commitment to justice, progress and the truth that you've relied on for decades. We'll continue to cover the day's news, ask the tough questions and explain how it impacts you, Mississippi now, same mission, new name. Learn more at Ms. Now.

[Ari Melber]

A big news day for a Friday with Congress releasing never before seen Epstein photos. As we've reported, the photos involve many people, including historically Donald Trump, Bill Clinton. But several feature Steve Bannon, who beyond these photos and the mirror selfie here has other documented recent links to working with Epstein. And this is in 2018 and 2019 when Donald Trump was clearly trying to distance himself from the sex trafficker who was then indicted by the Trump DOJ in the first term. We want to go into how their emails, also recently released, show the back and forth between these men, from rehab to banter to a kind of alliance. The new emails do reveal more cooperation, more plotting and secret strategy sessions. And so what we can do right now is something that journalists usually cannot do. Sometimes you get a one sided leak or you get a handful of emails or in campaigns you get what they call oppo. And you have to be really careful to go through it and figure out what was the other side of that email and who can you get to talk about. Here we now have hundreds of newly revealed messages these two people exchanged in 2018 and 2019 now, Bannon has not been accused of any kind of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein, although he was, as I mentioned, convicted of a different crime and has been basically arrested prior. On a whole other issue I'm not going to get into, but no one is saying, to be clear, that he's been accused of an Epstein sex crime. But during a period when Epstein was facing more heat than ever, Bannon got even closer with him and they hid this potentially embarrassing alliance. That's their view. Epstein lived in a grand townhouse near Central Park. The two men knew Epstein was so politically toxic and embarrassing then that they actually furtively hid Bannon's arrival. Epstein emailing, I'm in New York tonight through Saturday if you want to visit under the COVID of darkness. Now, that may sound like dramatic rhetoric, but it wasn't drama. Bannon got the drift and asked about, quote, access. That's not the front door. He even cited what he believed was 247 surveillance on Epstein. Then Epstein offered a hidden rear entrance where someone would let Bannon in. Those messages matching Bannon's phone number, according to Guardian reporting, with his name is not technically listed in those. Now Bannon emailed about secretly trying to help Epstein redeem his reputation. Think about how some people are in trouble just for bantering with him or getting benefits from him at some broad level totally unrelated to, say, his island. Here. Bannon is aware of how much trouble Epstein is in and how much criticism there is of his past conduct, and he wants to help him. When Epstein recounts how he writes in one of these new emails, Christians he met with feel the media portraying him as beyond redemption was two EPPs seem deeply troubling and offensive. Bannon responds, we must counter the rapist who traffics in female children to be raped by the world's most powerful richest men as kind of a storyline, if you read the email, the way he's putting it, a man who, quote, can't be redeemed. He adds, you're a lot of things which we will show, but you are not that. Why is one of Trump's top aides and they had a falling out that I'll get to telling Epstein in no uncertain all caps terms, you're not that guy accusers and a lot of evidence certainly suggests otherwise. And I want you to note here how Bannon speaks of them on a team, that they are going to do this together and show Epstein's, quote, better side, if you will, quote unquote, or just better and figuratively. This went beyond emailing ideas. Bannon made 15 hours of video of Epstein for what he called a documentary. And this was in a key period, months leading up to what we now know was his arrest and then death. No movie has come out. There is a 2021 trailer for something called the Monsters. That's the linkage I mentioned that we knew some of this, but now we see behind the scenes how Bannon was not, you know, just making a movie or an interview, but wanted to help him redeem himself from what all these accusers and survivors and evidence has shown him to be the monsters of some kind of catchy title. It shows them talking about accountability movements that target Epstein. Like Time's up. The future is for the way women think. The way women think, that's correct. Is that not a sop because of, of all the depravity you've done against young women? Your new sop is that they're, they're women's thinking. Is, is, is the future. No, I've been. I've always believed that women would be, in fact be able to take over. I, I'm a firm believer and supporter of Time's Up. He's a supporter of Time's Up. He claims there many parties may now be extra interested in that video series or evidence. Bannon says he will release a film early. And what else is coming sooner than next year is more photos from Congress. We're going to fit in a break, but when we come back, 50 cent comes back on the beat discussing his favorite villain. That's by the end of the hour, but next, why the head of the Republican Party says the Republican Party could be doomed in these midterms. There's been a lot of news today, but if there weren't all the big stories coming out of Congress on Epstein politically. I'm about to show you what is the largest news of the day. It has been ricocheting all through politics if you follow this kind of stuff. If you are an election junkie keeping your eye on the midterms, the signs are that people in America are not happy with Trump. You may have heard that, but now even top Republicans see the problem and apparently are warning about the problem. The head of the rnc, whose job above everything else is to help the party win the coming midterms. That's his number one thing every day when he wakes up in the morning. Now publicly, we'll get into why, but has admitted in a way that the reporting is out. You're going to hear it. That Republicans will be on the path to losing the Midterms. It's not a secret, there's no sugarcoating it. It's a, it's, it's a pending blooming.

[Dr. Horton Advertiser]

Disaster heading our way.

[Ari Melber]

We're facing almost certain defeat. This is a absolute disaster. You know, no matter what party's in power, they normally get crushed in the midterms. The chances are the Republicans will go down and will go down hard. Trump and Republicans will go down hard. They're facing almost certain defeat. Mind you, this is the Trump backed leader of the Republican Party. Now if this wasn't politics and it was just say something more objective, a lot of folks would say, well yeah, he's telling the truth. But everybody knows in politics, especially when you're paid to run the party, you're supposed to root, root, root. What he says about history is true and what he says about now is in the polling. Trump losing ground on the key issues that were once seen as his strengths. Approval down 11 on immigration, 9 on the economy to the lowest of this term, 31%. And that means not only does Trump have a problem, but his problem is the Republicans problem. If you're down a couple points, who knows? We'll see what happens. When you're down like that, you begin dragging down the ticket. Republican lawmakers last night in a very red state, Indiana, rejected Trump's demands because they're going their own way. They resisted his bid to have them redraw a congressional map the way that Trump wanted. It would have wiped out the state's two Democratic held seats. But he is so unpopular and those kind of king, you know, abuse of power moves have become so derided that even if you could cheat a little to move the map around, they decided they would rather not be seen as doing anything Trump demands because he's not popular. Trump trying to save face, saying that maybe he wanted it, but you know, he wasn't quote working hard on it. But the President was very involved and they were pressing lawmakers in public and private and they were hoping to use that state to make up for how they've lost ground in other places on the map fight. So President Trump not only is unpopular, he is being rejected and resisted by his own party. Sometimes that means just overriding him, like on the Epstein vote. Other times that means just not doing what he asked for, like in that Indiana map and other times as a lame duck, even his own pick, maybe because of bad messaging or maybe because he's got other concerns. His own RNC chair is saying that quiet part out loud. This is less than A year out, here's another Trump ally who's been in the news for a number of reasons, Steve Bannon, also looking at the same bad polling and data and sounding an alarm. This is a huge defeat today for the president of the United States. And somebody's got to be straight with the president and saying, look, people think that you're an easy target now. And people in the White House get paid to make sure these types of things don't happen. It's just not acceptable. This was a blowout. You can hear everybody saying it across the board. And what's so funny in politics is while they have a president who famously can't handle criticism and likes to lie a lot, they don't think lying is a good strategy. They don't think acting like it's close or they might win is a good strategy. The election is a long way off. But if it were held today, from the RNC chair to see Bannon on down, everyone is saying, look at this polling. You cannot run the country with this many people against what you're doing. On immigration, which we all know is a big issue. On the economy, which everyone lives, or on the surging grocery prices where Trump voters say, many of them, that he's part of the problem, half the country says it's now difficult to pay for groceries. That's the affordability crisis. People are living majority blame him, others skipping medical care. This is the real world. This is reality. And Republicans who want Trump to win in Washington are so concerned, they are now publicizing these facts and hoping something will change. If you've gotten to know Donald Trump over all these years, as we've lived together in this country, do you think he will change a lot? I guess that's the question on the Republican Party's mind as they face what their chair calls almost certainly a disaster. We're going to fit in a break. And when we come back, 50 cent on the beat tonight. We'd heard from him about that Diddy doc. We have him tonight on new and other topics. Next, If you watch Netflix or have the Internet or a phone open, you've probably heard about this Diddy documentary from 50 Cent. He has been absolutely dominating Netflix with it, number one in several countries. Over 20 million people have already watched it. That's just in the first two weeks. And that's not all. 50 Cent has spent decades in a music career that has now shifted into a wide ranging film and TV production activity. The Grammy Award winner 50 Cent is back on the beat now. Final lap tour is now one of the top three grossing hip hop tours of all time. What does that say about your. Why is your global audience so loyal?

[50 Cent]

Well, my audience is running the world at the present moment because they grew up. They were. Yeah, they were 23 and in college when I came out. It's been 23 years and the successful portion of those people are still out there and still doing things. And this is. It's not finding a new audience, it's finding the same audience through television. They just. We just do things a little different. They may have a glass of wine at dinner instead of going out to party with their kids, have a glass.

[Ari Melber]

Of wine even though it's not their birthday. Hey, hey, hey. Contrast that to what's happening in hip hop, which is something you and I have discussed. The headlines here that, you know, there's no rap in the top 40 for the first time in like three decades. Do you have a view as to why?

[50 Cent]

Well, a lot of the artists are getting knocked off, right? Because our culture loves things that have been damaged by the experience. And because of that, I think that the artists are seeing things and feeling like they got to live a certain way and it's imploding before it gets a chance to really get to its highest level.

[Ari Melber]

So that's a grim hypothetical. If you say, oh, all these artists were allowed to just live or pop smoke who you supported, that he might be on those charts right now.

[50 Cent]

He would have been on those charts like he had the musical ability to do it. So there's no question. And I was able to. Able to make his album after he passed go platinum.

[Ari Melber]

So you also excelled with mixtapes. A lot of them still slap. You can go on Spotify and you can pull the who kid early version. It was clearly harder in your time. Do you think young artists today have it automatically better or it's just a trade off?

[50 Cent]

I think they got a different struggle. Like it's easier to find the audience because they can take their material, upload it to YouTube and they can shoot a video on their camera. Their phone has 4K footage.

[Ari Melber]

4K.

[50 Cent]

So it's pretty decent quality. I think they can do that. I wasn't able to do that. I had to trick bootleggers into thinking that it was worth stealing and have them produce it and distribute it for me. Other than that, there was no other way for people to hear your music that wasn't in a 10 block radio.

[Ari Melber]

I want to end with our lightning round with 50 in a word or a sentence justice for Diddy means justice for Diddy.

[50 Cent]

I think he's just. He'll be home soon. It's not. It's not a long.

[Ari Melber]

I50 said make films and TV shows.

[50 Cent]

Now because I'm finding my original audience.

[Ari Melber]

To sell out a world tour.

[50 Cent]

An artist needs, well, timeless music.

[Ari Melber]

AI can be good for music if.

[50 Cent]

If it's uploaded the right idea.

[Ari Melber]

My favorite hero.

[50 Cent]

And I have a lot of guys. I look up to their accomplishments at points, but I wouldn't call them my heroes.

[Ari Melber]

Right. You don't wear another man's jersey on your back. Yeah.

[50 Cent]

Yeah.

[Ari Melber]

Respect. Your favorite villain.

[50 Cent]

My favorite villain. I kind of like Diddy.

[Ari Melber]

That was. Okay. Not the answer I was expecting. When people say I'm a troll, you know, some people say that. I didn't say, oh, yeah. When people say I 50 cent I'm a troll, I say I. I don't.

[50 Cent]

Well, I don't know why you saying I'm trolling people. I'm just. I'm conditioned. I'm doing what you've conditioned me to do.

[Ari Melber]

Okay. Talent or hard work?

[50 Cent]

I think hard work beats talent. When talent doesn't work.

[Ari Melber]

Being strategic or being fearless?

[50 Cent]

Strategic.

[Ari Melber]

How to rob or Ghetto Quran.

[50 Cent]

Ghetto Quran.

[Ari Melber]

Pimp or. That's what's up Pip. Okay. Because it's a bigger hit.

[50 Cent]

Yeah.

[Ari Melber]

Okay. In the club or Many men.

[50 Cent]

Many man. It's a war chant.

[Ari Melber]

Yeah. Yeah. It's like Braveheart.

[50 Cent]

Yeah. It's what you do.

[Ari Melber]

Yeah. I don't know if you'll answer this one, Dr. Dre or Eminem.

[50 Cent]

Eminem. If I had to.

[Ari Melber]

If you had to. Yeah. That's. That's messed up. And the last question is very simple because we've been following you. New York or Louisiana, Orville's lead, this report. There it is. 50 on more than one topic. I appreciate. Appreciate you. Thanks to 50. You can catch more of that and our other segments right there at msnow. Ari, we'll be right back. We've been tracking this new set of evidence, the Epstein photos that made headlines. There's more to come. The DOJ has until Friday to release all the files. That goes well beyond photos. A top Democrat talked about what happens next.

[Congressional Democrat]

I think there have been some instances where House Republicans have honest. Obviously worked with us to try to get some information, but it has been a struggle. We had to force that very first vote and get a couple Republicans with us to force that initial subpoena. We have to fight to get a Costa in front of us. We've had to release these documents and photos to get Republicans then to join us and actually release more. And so what we need from Chairman Comer is to subpoena the 20 plus banks that we have requested that survivors have pointed us to and to follow that money trail of money laundering and the enormous amount of money that Jeffrey Epstein got from so many folks. We need a subpoena to get the emails attached to these photos. We need all that information.

[Ari Melber]

Democrats saying they're on the case. As you heard, they're following the money and they won't let up. Now if you are keeping an eye on the news this weekend, I want to remind you tomorrow Saturday you can catch the beat Weekend. We have key interviews, special reports, highlights, some of the moments that you might have missed across the week. So I invite you to check that out tomorrow, Saturday, 4pm Eastern right here on Ms. Now, home to the Rachel.

[Michelle Goldberg]

Maddow Show, Morning Joe, the briefing with Jen Psaki and more. Voices you know and trust. Ms. NOW is your source for news, opinion and the world. Learn more at Ms. Now.