Epstein files release sent White House into CRISIS MODE: New report

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: Epstein files release sent White House into CRISIS MODE: New report
Date: June 11, 2026
Host: Jen Psaki / Joe (interviewer on air)

Overview

This episode dives deep into simultaneous crises facing the Trump White House: renewed military strikes on Iran, surging inflation, and—most explosively—a bombshell New York Times report revealing the White House’s panicked reaction to the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. The episode features an extended interview with Graham Platner, newly nominated Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, and discussions with Congressman Robert Garcia (top Democrat on House Oversight) and Congresswoman Amelia Sykes, who delivered a viral takedown of Trump’s Energy Secretary. Throughout, host Joe (standing in for Psaki) connects the political chaos and evasive accountability to the stakes for Congressional control in 2026.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Multiple Crises: Iran Strikes, Inflation, and Political Fallout

[00:52 - 03:06]

• The episode opens by stacking the “avalanche” of troubling news:
  • New U.S. Strikes on Iran: Trump orders a new wave of strikes amidst a supposed ceasefire, risking escalation. Iranian state media threatens to target any ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Persisting War & Claims of “Victory”: Over 100 days since Trump launched war with Iran, 90+ days since he declared “victory.” 38 claims of imminent peace, but no resolution (gas over $4 a gallon, the strait remains closed).
  • Economic Challenges: Inflation hits a three-year high—the increase linked to Trump’s war. When pressed, Trump offers bizarre, upbeat remarks.
    • Notable Quote: Donald Trump: “I love the inflation.” ([02:35])

2. Epstein Files: White House “Crisis Mode”

[03:06 - 04:54], [22:06 - 33:14]

• New York Times Bombshell: Details top Trump officials’ frantic Situation Room meetings months earlier on how to contain the Epstein files’ fallout.
  • Absurdity in the White House: Meetings deteriorated into surreal (and juvenile) tangents—“lengthy discussion about nipples”—even as the stakes for the presidency loomed.
    • Notable Moment: "Trump’s team used [the Situation Room] to talk about nipples, which tells you kind of everything you need to know." ([03:40])
  • Vice President J.D. Vance’s Role: Proposed recruiting Tucker Carlson to interview Ghislaine Maxwell in prison, hoping she’d exonerate Trump.
    • Notable Quote: "[Vance] told senior officials...this is a huge problem." ([26:31])
  • Damage Control Efforts: Deputy AG Todd Blanche personally interviews Maxwell—an unusual move, apparently aimed at boosting Trump’s defense—and she is suddenly transferred to a cushier facility soon after.
  • Potential Quid Pro Quo: Blanche reportedly raised the idea Maxwell’s lawyer might expect “something in return” for cooperation, and her transfer quickly followed.

3. 2026 Senate Landscape: Graham Platner Interview

[07:31 - 22:04]

• Graham Platner’s Candidacy:
  • Platner, Maine’s Democratic nominee, is under fire from Trump and Republicans who try to tie him to past personal controversies but struggles persist even among Democratic senators who demand more explanations.
  • Platner’s victory speech and first ad frames his campaign as a fight against the “Epstein class”—those “above the rules” in Washington.
    • Notable Quote: “Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It’s a journey...And if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.” ([07:31])
  • Trump’s focus: Calling Platner “a thug” whose parents “helped him start his business.”
    • Audio Clip: “He’s a thug. He’s a low-level thug...His parents supported him. Guy’s a loser.” ([06:13])
  • Platner’s response: Embraces attacks as validation Trump is “worried”; emphasizes transparency and his connection with Maine voters.
    • Notable Quote: “Coming from certainly the worst person to have ever run for office, I take it as an immense compliment.” ([08:33])
    • Platner commits to town halls and openness: “We held 83 [town halls]. We don’t screen questions. People can just ask me anything directly.” ([11:02])
  • Addressing Controversies: Platner discusses personal failings (tattoo, old texts) openly, and accuses GOP operatives of fabricating further rumors.
    • “I’ve lived my life. I was there the whole time...I’m an open book.” ([13:07])
  • Unity & Path Forward: Recognizes need for party unity; says he reached out to Governor Janet Mills and is focused on defeating Susan Collins.
    • Appeals for grassroots support against “Republican super PACs." ([16:12])

4. White House Accountability & Oversight

[28:48 - 33:18]

• Rep. Robert Garcia (D): “Bombshell” NYT reporting exposes a “White House cover up,” implicating not just Trump, but Vance and chief of staff Susan Wiles.
  • Calls for subpoenas and Oversight investigation—especially into Blanche, Vance, and White House strategy.
    • “All of these senior admin officials…are meeting in the Situation Room…talking about how to protect Donald Trump from our Epstein investigation and to deny justice for these survivors.” ([29:13])
  • House GOP now agrees to demand Blanche’s testimony after initial resistance.
  • Points to indications that more is yet to be uncovered—the coverup “beginning to unravel for the White House.” ([31:32])

5. Viral Congressional Hearing: Inflation and Energy Policy

[35:21 - 44:44]

• Viral Exchange: Democratic Congresswoman Amelia Sykes delivers a relentless line of questioning to Trump’s Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, about the president’s “I love inflation” comment.
  • Notable Exchange ([36:27 - 38:28]):
    • Sykes: “Do you love inflation?”
    • Wright: Repeatedly dodges before conceding, “I would prefer lower inflation.”
    • Sykes: Presses on Trump’s claim of secretly siphoning millions of barrels of oil from Iran; Wright is unaware and floundering.
• Sykes’ Interview: She recounts why she focused on inflation as a core cost-of-living issue, exposes the administration’s lack of readiness, and accuses them of rewarding loyalty over merit.
  • Notable Quote: “There is not a meritocracy in this administration. Only the folks who are the most loyal to the president rise, and they can’t answer simple questions…” ([43:12])
  • Sykes closes wanting answers on both the Epstein files and cost relief for Americans.

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• Donald Trump:
  • “I love the inflation.” ([02:35], [35:34])
  • “He’s a thug. He’s a low-level thug…His parents supported him. Guy’s a loser.” ([06:13])
• Graham Platner:
  • “Redemption is not…an easy destination. It’s a journey…And if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.” ([07:31])
  • “Coming from certainly the worst person to have ever run for office, I take it as an immense compliment.” ([08:33])
  • "We held 83 [town halls]. We don't screen questions. People can just ask me anything directly." ([11:02])
  • “I’ve lived my life. I was there the whole time...I’m an open book.” ([13:07])
• Congressman Robert Garcia:
  • “All of these senior admin officials…are now meeting in the Situation Room…talking about how to protect Donald Trump from our Epstein investigation and to deny justice for these survivors.” ([29:13])
• Congresswoman Amelia Sykes:
  • “There is not a meritocracy in this administration…they can’t answer simple questions like, where are millions of barrels of oil…?” ([43:12])
  • “I want to know where the Epstein files are. Well, and I want to know when they’re going to lower costs, too.” ([44:11])
• Energy Secretary Chris Wright:
  • “I would prefer lower inflation.” ([36:56])
  • Admits being unaware of oil extraction claims ([38:26])

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Important Segment Timestamps

• War on Iran, Inflation & Initial Crisis Context: [00:52] – [03:06]
• Epstein Files Breakdown: [03:06] – [04:54]; [22:06] – [33:18]
• Trump Monologue on Platner (“thug”): [06:13] – [06:38]
• Platner on Redemption (First Ad): [07:31] – [08:05]
• Graham Platner Interview: [08:05] – [22:04]
• Congressional Hearing (Sykes & Wright exchange): [35:21] – [39:00]
• Congresswoman Sykes Interview: [40:44] – [44:21]

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Overall Tone

The episode’s language is direct, occasionally incredulous or darkly humorous, especially when pointing out the White House’s mismanagement and evasions (“surreal…devolved into a lengthy discussion about nipples” / “dear Lord, I was scared for that man”). There is an undercurrent of alarm over the erosion of norms, the unchecked power in the Trump administration, and mounting crises. The conversations are sharp, pointed, and unflinching in challenging figures in power.

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Conclusion

This installment of The Briefing captures a political climate defined by chaos, scandal, and a struggle for accountability. From military action and economic anxiety to the dark shadow of the Epstein case and its elite enablers, the episode underscores why control of Congress—and the willingness to wield oversight—is as consequential as ever heading into the 2026 elections.

Transcript

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[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

you Every single day it feels like

[News Analyst/Narrator]

we are all reminded of what is at stake in American politics right now, of why control of the House and control of the Senate too actually matters.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And today there was an avalanche of

[News Analyst/Narrator]

events that should put those stakes into very clear focus for everyone. Because tonight the US launched a new wave of strikes against Iran. US Central Command announced on X that at 5:15 Eastern Time they launched strikes on multiple targets in Iran at the Commander in Chief's direction. Now this is the second time in as many days that Trump has ordered strikes on Iran during what is supposed to be a ceasefire. And Iranian state media is now saying that they will target any ship that attempts to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Now it's also been more than 100 days since Trump launched this war of choice and more than 90 days since he first declared victory in that war he launched. And just to put kind of a little fine point on it, CNN estimates that Trump has claimed the US And Iran were on the verge of a peace deal at least 38 times since the war began. 38 times. All while the street of Hormuz remains closed. All while gas prices remain above $4 a gallon. And now the US is once again in open conflict with Iranian forces. Now at the same time, Trump's handling of the economy seems to be going from bad to worse. Today we got the news that inflation has reached a three year high thanks in part to Trump's war. The president was asked about the rising prices Americans are facing and it turns out the well, he's not worried about it in fact, as I was just talking with Chris about, he's thrilled.

[Thumbtack Advertiser]

Mr. President, about the latest inflation number

[News Analyst/Narrator]

which came out this morning.

[Congressman Robert Garcia]

Could that be a no?

[Reporter/Interviewer]

I love it. The numbers were great. You know what I really love?

[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

I love the inflation.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

The highest inflation in three years. He loves it.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

He couldn't have asked for better news. Donald Trump doesn't seem to think higher prices are worth worrying about. Or maybe he doesn't understand what inflation is. Today we learn learn just what this administration does consider a crisis worthy of their attention. A bombshell. No report today in the New York Times details how top Trump officials spent multiple days starting last summer meeting in the Situation Room trying to figure out

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

how to deal with the political fallout

[News Analyst/Narrator]

from their botched handling of the Epstein files. Now, that reporting includes a number of completely bananas details, including how the guy

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

who is next in line to the

[News Analyst/Narrator]

presidency, yes, Manchurian JD Vance proposed asking Tucker Carlson to bail them out by interviewing Epstein's co conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

One official described one of the Situation

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Room meetings as surreal after the whole thing devolved into a lengthy discussion about nipples. Again, this is a meeting that took

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

place in the part of the White

[News Analyst/Narrator]

House where Barack Obama watched the strike that killed Osama bin Laden and Trump's team used it to talk about nipples, which tells you kind of everything you need to know. And I'm gonna have much more on that reporting later on this hour and talk to Robert Garcia as well. But meanwhile, Trump seems to be giving the bulk of his attention to other things he cares more about, like, say, holding a cage match MMA fight on

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

the White House lawn to celebrate his

[News Analyst/Narrator]

80th birthday this weekend. Because nothing says Rome is burning like building a big heinous coliseum to overshadow the seat of America's Democratic. He's also spending his time, well, falling asleep on live TV while attending an NBA championship game between the Knicks and the Spurs. There he is on the left. Yep, seems very sleepy to me. And there's no comfort any of us can actually even take in the people he has put in charge of the government. While he nods off, he's appointed a 38 year old hatchet man and real estate Nepo baby to be in charge of America's intelligence community, despite the fact that he has zero experience for that job. And this week we learned that guy is going to officially assume his new role next Friday. And Trump has officially nominated his personal attorney to be the next permanent head

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

of the Justice Department.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Perhaps it's because Trump liked the way Todd Blanche handled all of those, well, sensitive nipple conversations in the Situation Room, who knows, may have been a factor. We don't know. Meanwhile, Congress continues to hand this administration more and more and more power. Today, Trump signed the Republican backed bill to give 70 billion more dollars of taxpayer ICE and Border Patrol, the agencies carrying out his cruel deportation agenda when they aren't busy shooting American citizens in the streets. And all of this is a huge, enormous reminder of why control of Congress matters. Because Mike Johnson and Trump's other minions in Congress are not going to grow spines in the next six months. And the only way for Trump and the circle around him to be held accountable is if Democrats have control of the branch of government that conducts oversight, that issues subpoenas and confirms presidential nominees or doesn't confirm them. And Donald Trump knows that, too, which

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

is why he spent part of his

[News Analyst/Narrator]

time in the Oval Office today ranting about the Democratic nominees for U.S. senate in the upcoming election. And he seemed to be focused on one candidate in particular now, Graham Platner, the populist oysterman who won the Democratic nomination last night to take on Susan Collins in Maine. Trump was quite focused on him.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Here's just a little of what Trump

[News Analyst/Narrator]

had to say about Platner.

[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

Now watch that thug that's up in Maine. He's a thug. He's a thug. I know thugs. I had to deal with thugs. I built a lot of buildings. I dealt with worse than thugs. This guy's a thug. He's a low level thug, but this is a thug. You know, he's a, he's not a businessman at all. His parents supported him. Guy's a loser. Other than that, he might be very nice.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

The woman in white behind him finds it very funny. But that is Trump's new line of attack against Graham Platner. He's a thug. The kind of thug who, wait for it, needs help from his parents to start a business as thugs do. I'm not sure that's the angle I

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

would take, but sure, go for it.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Trump is clearly worried about the Senate. He's clearly worried about Graham Platter.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

He's clearly worried about James Talariko we talked about, too.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

And he's not the only one.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Today, NBC obtained a memo from the

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Republican Party Senate election team warning Republican donors that despite a series of controversies dogging Platner, he's still currently leading Susan Collins in the polls.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

It comes as Platner released his first

[News Analyst/Narrator]

general election campaign ad today, focused on how he will take on what he calls the Epstein class in Washington. The ad builds on a message he debuted last night in his victory speech, in which he promised to earn the trust of voters who are concerned about controversies from his past.

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It's a journey. I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from. And I'm still far from perfect. But every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder than I was the day before. And if you give me the chance, I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Joining me now is Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. senate in Maine. You've had quite a 24 hours.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

You're clearly under Donald Trump's skin. You could see that. We played a sample of that.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

I think he called you a thug. I don't even know. Repeatedly today, we played some of it,

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

and he said, you are, quote, the worse than any human being that's ever run for office.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Probably. What'd you think when you heard that?

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Well, coming from certainly the worst person to have ever run for office, I take it as an immense compliment.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

What is it?

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I mean, it must feel pretty ludicrous to be lectured to your point by this president over morality.

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Yeah. At the end of the day, it just comes down to the fact that Donald Trump knows that I'm going to go to the United States Senate to try to hold him and all of his corrupt cronies accountable. That's the entire point of this. I mean, we are building something up here in Maine that's going to allow us to retake the Senate for Democrats, but also retake the Senate with Democrats who really want to get in a fight. The end of the day, these people have. What is happening.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

We can still hear you.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Go ahead.

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Oh, you can? Sorry. For some reason, my computer went to sleep. Give me one second. Yeah. We're going to rebuild or we're going to retake the Senate with Democrats whose focus is not just getting back into power, but getting back into power so we can wield it. We have to hold these people accountable. Donald Trump knows that we're going to, and he now is doing what he does, which is essentially, I think, throw temper tantrums, which is still probably the most embarrassing thing to see from the President of the United States.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I mean, in questioning your morality is quite rich. You now are in the general election, though, and there's a lot that's going to come. Your way, you've obviously all had to

[News Analyst/Narrator]

already answer for a number of controversies in your past. We've talked about a number of them on this show in the past, including the Nazi tattoo, the past comments on

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Reddit, allegations about the way you treated women you dated in the past, and

[News Analyst/Narrator]

allegations about sexting other women while you were married.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And as your part of this path forward is, you really gotta get the full Democratic Party behind you, too. And there are some sitting Democratic senators

[News Analyst/Narrator]

who still don't seem satisfied with how you've addressed these controversies.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I mean, Senator Mark Kelly said today

[News Analyst/Narrator]

you've got things to explain.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Senator Peter Welch said you still have work to do. Obviously, Democratic voters in Maine were satisfied

[News Analyst/Narrator]

with how you've handled all of this.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

But what do you say to comments like those from people that, as you said, you might be working hand in hand with next year to hold people

[News Analyst/Narrator]

to account to get legislation passed?

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

The end of the day, I am running to represent the people of Maine. That is who I'm beholden to. That is who I am taking direction from, and that is who I feel like I need to be accountable to. And I have gone all over the state of Maine for the past nine months. I've made myself very accessible to people in every single corner of this state. People come to town halls. We've held 83 of them. We don't screen questions. People can just ask me anything directly. And I am always honest and open in my answers. And I very much think it's important to talk about the fact that human beings go through transitions in life, that if you're going to believe in the politics of change, you have to believe in the ability of people to change. And for me, talking about my transition from my military service to my struggles after coming home to coming back to Maine, finding community, getting very involved, falling in love, starting a business, really being able to find fulfillment and joy. That's a story I want to tell, and I've been out telling it for the past nine months. And, you know, last night, I think the voters in Maine said that they, they were very satisfied with my answers and they're who I, who I feel accountable to.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Yeah, of course, because you're running to represent them. I think now that you're in a general election, though, you have to appeal to independents, certainly Republicans, which I know you've been trying to do through the course of the campaign. Already there's been NBC had this report today. One Republican strategist involved in Senate campaigns told NBC News that the party is going to hold back its opposition research file on you until a deadline for you to take yourself off the ballot passes out of fear that the Democrats

[News Analyst/Narrator]

will Biden you, as they called it,

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

referring to, of course, Joe Biden's withdrawal.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Withdrawal in the middle of the campaign under pressure from Democrats.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

As you're looking to this next period, you know there's gonna be more coming at you. Has your campaign, and this is, I'm just putting my own campaign operative hat on here. Has your campaign been working to figure

[News Analyst/Narrator]

out what an opposition file with any

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

additional allegations might have in it?

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Do you know that on your end,

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

have you thought about it?

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Oh, I've thought about it extensively. I mean, here's the thing. I've lived my life. I was there the whole time. Much of the allegations that have come out as of late are literally just lies. And so, you know, I don't really. They've already gotten to the point where they're moving into just making things up. And if we're already there, I, you know, I don't know what else they're going to make up because I don't know what's going around in the very weird minds of Republican operatives. I do know, having been there for my entire life, that while I've certainly not been perfect and I certainly have had my struggles, the stuff that I've talked about, everything I've been open with, that's it. I'm a, I'm an open book. People know, frankly, more about my personal life than I think they've known about most candidates. And it's a. This honestly just sounds like the Republicans trying to, I guess, scare me or something, which is very rich coming from a bunch of people who, quite frankly, I don't think they don't have an ounce of spine. And so the idea that they're gonna try to scare me out of this race is rather laughable.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

That's certainly what they're trying to do.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And even that threat of trying to biden you, as they're calling it, is certainly part of that. This is just my last question. I wanna ask you just about kind of what opposition research you've done on yourself, because this is what scares people a little bit. Even though I know the Democrats in Maine have made a decision and they

[News Analyst/Narrator]

voted to make you the nominee. Have you gone through, I mean, again,

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I don't want to relitigate much of what you've already answered over the last

[News Analyst/Narrator]

several days, but after we learned about

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

those text messages you were sending to other women, my first thought as an

[News Analyst/Narrator]

old campaign hand again was I'd want

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

to go back and kind of know what I wrote, what you wrote, and what people might have in their hands. I know you've said you're not concerned about that, but it's really about what

[News Analyst/Narrator]

other people are concerned about. Have you gone through.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Do you know what could be out

[News Analyst/Narrator]

there from those text messages?

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

You know, the. Well, yeah, of course I know. I sent them years ago. I mean, this is this whole, like, again, I know what happened. My wife knows what happened. It was long before I ran for United States Senate, and it was earlier in our marriage. You know, the funny thing is, the only reason that that story exists is because we did what we thought was the right thing. We entrusted someone on the campaign team with information about our past. We were very upfront about everything in our lives. That person then went and made up more about it and tried to get that story in the newspapers and finally got the New York Times to run it. So, yeah, I mean, like, we did oppo research. That's literally why that story came out, ironically.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Yeah. Well, it is about texts you sent. I understand what you're saying about sharing information with a staffer and how it

[News Analyst/Narrator]

was revealed, but it is about texts you sent.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Let's talk about the path forward, because part of your job now is also, as we've talked about a little bit already, uniting the party behind you. And you mentioned Governor Janet Mills purposefully, I'm sure last night. When you gave your speech last night,

[News Analyst/Narrator]

she didn't mention you, even though she did a statement.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Have you reached out to her? Have you talked to her? Do you want her to campaign with you?

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Yes, I've reached out. We have not yet connected, but I'm certainly looking forward to sitting down and talking about how we bring everyone together. Look, at the end of the day, beating Susan Collins needs to be the priority of every Democrat in Maine, and quite frankly, Democrats across the country. There are very few paths to a blue Senate that do not go through the state of Maine. We have an opportunity right now because Susan Collins has really failed in maintaining a charade that she kept going for so many years about her kind of how she's a moderate, she was going to stand up for women's rights. She would be a kind of maverick, would stand up to her party. She's not doing any of that. She's certainly not doing it with the Trump administration. She needs to go, and because of this moment, we need to seize it. And to me, that needs to be the focus, and I am very much Looking forward to working with anybody in the party and outside the party who wants to build the movement that's going to allow us to retake this seat for Democrats and take control in the Senate. I will say we need help doing it. You can go to GrantForCenate.com and donate. We can definitely use it. We're up against a lot of outside money at the moment. Republican super PACs are spending millions every week against us. But we're going to keep going out every single day and talking to voters across the state and continuing to build the coalition that took us to victory last night, which I'm very, very proud of, and very proud of all the people across the state of Maine who took part in this and are going to continue to take part in this movement.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

I'm sure the last couple of weeks

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

have been very difficult for you and for your wife. Answering questions about your past and things you feel are in the past is very difficult.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

But I know it's been difficult on your wife, too. I think we all watch that, which was heart wrenching that your wife put out. I was watching last night, the speech that you gave and the time before.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And when you're walking out on the

[News Analyst/Narrator]

stage with your wife last night, I

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

just wonder what was going through your mind.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

We also, that moment we're showing on our screen, she's kind of rubbing your back and if you could share anything she said to you last night about that moment when you clinched the nomination and you were about to go out there on stage.

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Well, if I'm gonna be honest, we mostly were just chuckling about how surreal all this is. I mean, it's. It is. Until August of last year, Amy and I were very much just living a very small, normal life here in Sullivan. And I was running the oyster farm, she was running the business side of things. And I mean, that was kind of what we were doing. And we had no, no vision of something like this ever existing in our future. And so to walk out on that stage knowing that we have built something that's really unique. I mean, nothing of this scale or size has ever even existed in the history of politics here in the state of Maine. And, you know, for us, it's. We have little moments where we have to pinch ourselves and realize that this is actually, actually working. And we're. I don't know, we're just, we're very, we're very lucky that we get to do it together.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Anyone who was watching that speech and we played the whole thing last night

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

saw some lines you've used before some lines about attacks you're going to have against your opponent, Susan Collins. You also have your first ad out today, which is focused on the Epstein class. We've heard Ro Khanna and Jon Ossoff and others use that same term. Why do you think that works? And why do you think people in Maine and perhaps in Georgia and other

[News Analyst/Narrator]

states really resonate with that?

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Well, because it's the perfect encapsulation of what everybody knows already to be true, which is that there is a class of people in our society who are unaccountable, who live above the rules, who can even engage in some of the most depraved, horrific acts and not face consequences merely because they have money and access to power. The reason that I bring it up, the reason that we have it in the ad, I have been talking about this to all my buddies and friends for the past couple, the past year. Like, it's what I hear about at the boat launch. It's what we talk about when we're frankly, even out on the wall water. It's what you overhear when you're sitting at a bar having a beer. That's what we're talking about down here. Because everybody sees that this is a. This is an example of a system that we all kind of knew existed. We all knew that there was this element of our society that lived above everything else. But to see it so blatant and so clear, and then to watch the existing power structures continue to not hold anyone to account, continue to try to keep it bottled up, to keep it covered up and under wraps, I mean, we just saw reporting today that the Trump administration was panicking about how to keep the whole thing a secret. And that's because, of course, they and their friends are. Are in this thing. Everybody knows what's going on. And pointing out that there is this class of folks who are able to engage in this kind of behavior with Jeffrey Epstein and then be able to, like, have all this, frankly, data and evidence that no one ever looked into. I think that just really speaks to the. The frustration and the disillusionment of a lot of us down here in the real world, because we know it's happening. And with the Epstein class and with the Epstein files, we can see it so glaringly.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And Bill Gates being able to hire a lawyer who was formerly on the committee staff that launched the investigation is

[News Analyst/Narrator]

really a summary of it all. Graham Platner, thank you for being here, answering my questions.

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Thanks a lot, Joe.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Appreciate it.

[Graham Platner (Senate Candidate)]

Appreciate it.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Okay, that is all a perfect segue because this was the story in the New York Times inside the White House freak out over the Epstein files he just referenced I talked about at the

[News Analyst/Narrator]

beginning of the show. And believe me, the Tucker Carlson interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell idea and the nipple convo and the Situation Room story are just the tip of the iceberg on that one. Congressman Robert Garcia standing by and he joins me next.

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[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

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[News Analyst/Narrator]

I think we should call a doctor.

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[News Analyst/Narrator]

We've suspected for a long time that

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Todd Blanche had an ulterior motive when

[News Analyst/Narrator]

he made the highly unusual decision last summer to personally interview Ghislaine Maxwell as Jeffrey Epstein's partner in crime. Maxwell was and still is serving a 20 year sentence for sex trafficking and conspiracy. And people like that don't typically get high profile visits from top DOJ officials, especially not from a sitting deputy Attorney general. But when you consider that Blanche's last job was defense attorney to Donald Trump, it Makes a lot more sense, because his interview with Maxwell sounded less like an effort to find the facts and much more like an attempt to clear Trump's name.

[Interviewer (Maxwell Interview Segment)]

What did you observe as far as President Trump and his relationship with you or Mr. Epstein? Did you ever observe President Trump receive massage? When's the last time you think you saw in person President Trump? Did you ever hear Mr. Epstein or anybody say that President Trump had done anything inappropriate with masseuses or with anybody in your world? Do you remember one way or the other whether President Trump submitted a letter for his 50th birthday?

[News Analyst/Narrator]

I mean, it certainly felt like Blanche was prodding Maxwell to absolve his former client, didn't it? And now new reporting confirms that that was indeed the point of the whole interview. In a story excerpted from their upcoming book, for which they spoke to over 1000 people, New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan reveal how Blanche's interview of a notorious predator was the White House's solution to Trump's PR nightmare over Jeffrey Epstein. Of course it was.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And I just want to note again

[News Analyst/Narrator]

that normal presidents use the Situation Room

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

for national security purposes.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

I mean, remember the famous photo of President Obama watching the bin Laden raid unfold from the sit room in 2011? That's kind of the idea. That's what it's intended for. But this White House decided to use the Situation Room for damage control over the Epstein files, including one meeting at the time the Wall Street Journal revealed the existence of Epstein's infamous birthday book. That's where they were in the Sit Room, discussing the Epstein files. Now, according to the reporting, Vice President J.D. vance took a seat at the head of the T and told the senior officials in the room that, quote, this

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

is a huge problem.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Folks inside said the vice president appeared panicked before he proposed what the Times dubbed an extraordinary PR gambit that the White House enlist Tucker Carlson to interview Ghislaine Maxwell in prison, thinking was that it might help the president if Maxwell was willing to state that Trump had not been part of any wrongdoing with Epstein. That was all described in the reporting. So the goal from the beginning was to get Epstein's accomplice to vouch for Donald Trump. And I'm sure everyone probably knew she would never implicate the guy who had the power to pardon her. Of course not. So all of that was problematic enough even before Todd Blanche proposed his own twist on Vance's idea. Blanche's pitch was to have Justice Department lawyers question Maxwell and publicly release the transcript. Blanche even offered to, quote, interview Maxwell himself. What is also quite revealing is that from the earliest discussion of the idea, Blanche noted the potential for a quid pro quo. Now, according to the Times, Blanche raised the possibility that Maxwell's lawyer might expect something in return for her candor. Now, we don't know whether Maxwell's team actually asked for anything or if that point was discussed any further from the reporting to date. But what we do know is the timing was very friggin suspicious. I mean, Blanche shut down with Maxwell on July 24th and 25th of last year. Just one week later, on August 1st, the FBI confirmed Maxwell had been transferred to a minimum security prison in Texas. That's the one where a whistleblower told the House Judiciary Committee that Maxwell has since been able to enjoy things like customized meals and time with puppies. Now, I should note that the White House didn't respond to the substance of the article, but insisted that Trump has done more for Epstein's victims than anybody before him. Anyone before him. Yet we still don't have justice for the survivors at all. And we may not even have all of the files. We don't now, I guess we might now have an explanation for the puppies, though. Perhaps. Joining me now is Congressman Robert Garcia. He's the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Okay, I just summarized part of Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan's reporting that is

[News Analyst/Narrator]

out today, an excerpt of their book. What'd you make of it?

[Congressman Robert Garcia]

I mean, honestly, it was a bombshell and it was just really interesting to read. Look, a few things really stood out to me. One is it was the first time we really got an idea that Vice President Vance has actually been involved in the strategy around Epstein. Providing ideas, giving directions, holding court in the Situation Room, which should never be used for these types of activities or conversations. We've been saying from day one that this is a White House cover up. And now it's very clear that the Vice President is a large part of that cover up, that the White House Chief of Staff, Susan Wiles, is a part of that cover up. And so the amount of questions that we now have, and certainly I hope all Republicans on the Oversight Committee can agree that we've got to talk to the Vice President. Cuz here's, oh, he's over here giving some crazy ideas about how to essentially protect President Trump. And it's clear that all of these senior admin officials, we're talking about the top of the Trump administration, they are now meeting the Situation Room. We're not sure how often or how many times. And they're talking about how to protect Donald Trump from our Epstein investigation and to deny justice for these survivors. And so I think that stood out to me and I think in a way that was shocking and everything else that you mentioned, I mean, the suggestions, I mean, Tucker Carlson interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell. I mean, give me a break. This also confirms that the whole transfer, the whole idea about going to Ghislaine Maxwell was all about protecting Donald Trump. And so again, this has exposed so much more and we're just beginning to dig in to what really is driving the administration and why they're protecting the president.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I mean, I have so many questions like you do here. I wanna talk about Blanche for a second because Blanche alludes to the potential for a quid pro quo here, that Maxwell might ask for something according to

[News Analyst/Narrator]

the reporting from this meeting.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And then the timeline which I just described is quite eye popping. I mean, it was a week, we all know that, between when she was interviewed and when she was transferred. What questions do you have? You've had long had them for Blanche. I should ask more. What accountability should there be for Blanche? He's currently the nominee to be the Attorney General.

[Congressman Robert Garcia]

I mean, this is really, this reporting has really opened up so much more information about the transfer to Ghislaine Maxwell, who was involved, who the central players were, why the transfer was actually presented. And look, it's clear that they've been talking about this transfer. I mean, they talk about the pardon. The admin officials are there talking about what the impact of a pardon could actually be. They're literally focused right now on protecting the President and using Ghislaine Maxwell as a way of protecting the President. Todd Blanche is clearly serving as the President's defense attorney, regardless of the job that he's in. And he's about to be sent to the Senate for confirmation. So Todd Blanche has an enormous amount to answer for. Pam Bondi, who just weeks ago said she had no idea why the transfer happened, that she was not involved with the Epson investigation. In this reporting, it appears that she's actually involved in some of these conversations. She's actually on the phone while others are in the Situation Room. And so I think this is beginning to unravel for the White House. And I will add that this reporting obviously paints a clear picture of this cover up. But there's clearly so much more that we don't know. And I have to go back to the Vice President. For the first time, we now know that the Vice President has been involved in this cover up and in trying to protect the president. So speaking with him, getting more information from Vance in particular is going to be very important to our committee moving forward.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

How are you going to do that?

[Congressman Robert Garcia]

Well, look, I think one is we've been building, continue to build enormous amounts of pressure for folks to come speak to us. We're going to request tacomer and request to the vice president to come in front of our committee. We also intend to win the majority and get subpoena power and force people to come in front of our committee. Todd Blanch, for weeks and weeks, James Comer said that he was not interested in bringing in Todd Blanche. We made that request weeks ago. Just today, James Comer flip flops and now says that yes, we should hear from Todd Blanche. So I'm glad now that Republicans choose to follow our lead, Todd Blanche is the first person we should get in front of our committee. But now we need to also talk to Vice President Vance, the chief of staff, Susie Wiles and so many others in the FBI, including Kash Patel. And so these are all folks that we now know thanks to this reporting, have all been involved in this strategy in trying to protect Donald Trump and involved in this White House cover up

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

raises more questions than it answers as always, but quite eye popping reporting.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Congressman Robert Garcia, thank you as always.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

Thank you.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Okay, after Donald Trump said today I

[News Analyst/Narrator]

love the inflation, we're just going to keep reminding you he said that one

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Democratic lawmaker just so happened to be

[News Analyst/Narrator]

questioning one Trump cabinet secretary on Capitol Hill. And that confluence of events created one

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

of the most brutal takedowns you will ever see.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

And we're going to show it to you next.

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[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

or shoes that make you feel like, well, you.

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[News Analyst/Narrator]

Okay.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

We played this earlier. I've talked about it. I just have to play it again

[News Analyst/Narrator]

because this was Trump's answer to a reporter's question about rising inflation numbers today.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The numbers were great. You know what I really love?

[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

I love the inflation.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

You know why?

[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

Because as soon as this war is over, you know, I can say it now, something you didn't know. Do you know we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran. Until right now.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

Not only did Trump actually utter the words I love the inflation, but he also said that the US has been secretly taking out billions of barrels of oil without Iran's knowledge. All of which is big, if true. And it'd be so great if someone from the Trump administration could explain the whole I love inflation thing and also the whole taking barrels of oil thing.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Well, just so happened that a few Cabinet officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright,

[News Analyst/Narrator]

were testifying today on Capitol Hill right after Trump said those things. I'm sure they were delighted by that. And here's how that went.

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

Do you feel like your positions and

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

policy statements are in line with President Trump?

[Congressman Robert Garcia]

Yes, I hope so.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

Do you love inflation?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I love ending Iran's ability to have a nuclear weapon. I think that's existential for me.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

That was not my question. Do you love inflation, yes or no?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I love ending Iran's.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

That is not my question. Love inflation, yes or no?

[Congressman Robert Garcia]

No.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I would prefer lower inflation.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

You would prefer low inflation. Do you know that your boss, essentially President Trump, just stated that he loved inflation?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

He's an entertaining, hyperbolic guy who's done tremendous leadership and unbalance is driving inflation now.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

So it sounds like you're unaware that the President Trump just mentioned that he loved uninflation. And I Certainly don't want to get you in trouble with your boss, but it sounds like you don't love inflation. But he does. Mr. Chair, if I may, can I play some audio from some comments that President Trump made in the Oval Office? Okay.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

The numbers were great.

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I don't think.

[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

I love the inflation.

[Reporter/Interviewer]

You know why?

[Donald Trump (Audio Clip)]

Because as soon as this war is over, you know, I can say it now, something you did not. You know, we've been taking out, let's suspend, let's spend that nobody knows. You know who doesn't know about it?

[Interviewer (Maxwell Interview Segment)]

Iran.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

Until right now, Mr. Secretary, it seems like you didn't know about this either. So why would the United States be taking out millions of barrels of oil from Iran?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

Well, it's essential that we prevent oil sales from generating revenue for Iran to spend to develop nuclear weapons. In a press.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

Mr. Secretary, I understand this might be an uncomfortable line of questioning and you don't want to do it, but you are not answering my question. So I'm going to ask you again, and I'm going to hope that you will answer it honestly. Did you know that the United States was taking millions of gallons of oil from Iran?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I'm unaware.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

So do you think that the president is lying based on the audio that you just heard? And I will send it to you in case you say you didn't hear it?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

Oh, no, I do not think the president's lying. I think the president's talking casually about our efforts to stop the flow of Iranian oil.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

And stop. Do you think that it is appropriate

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

to talk casually about war?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I think you talk to all different audiences and you talk in all different styles, but I don't have any serious objection to what he said.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

I mean, that is what having your

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

butt handed to you in a hearing looks like.

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

Everyone.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

The lawmaker with that unrelenting line of

[News Analyst/Narrator]

questioning is Democratic Congresswoman Amelia Sykes, and she joins me here next. Before the break, I played an exchange between my next guest and Donald Trump's energy secretary during a hearing today.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And it was so good. I love these moments. And anytime you're questioning what is happening in Washington and are they holding people to account, you got to watch back and forth like this.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

And I think it's worth hearing some of it again. Here you go.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

Do you love inflation?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I love ending Iran's ability to have a nuclear weapon. I think that you love existential.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

That was not my question. Do you love inflation, yes or no?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

I love ending Iran's.

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

That is not my question. You love inflation, yes or no?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

No, I would prefer lower inflation, you

[Interviewer Questioning Energy Secretary]

would prefer low inflation. Do you know that your boss, essentially, President Trump, just stated that he loved inflation?

[Energy Secretary Chris Wright]

He's an entertaining, hyperbolic guy who's done tremendous leadership.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I mean, dear Lord, I was scared for that man. Joining me now is Democratic Congresswoman Amelia Sykes of Ohio, who you just saw kept a straight face while she was questioning the Secretary of Energy. Okay, so Trump said, and I just, I love talking about this because I think it's helpful to understand how this works. He said, I love the inflation. Just a couple of hours before you questioned Secretary Wright, I'm sure you had a different set of questions. You were preparing for him. What made you focus on this one?

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

Well, we hear so much about the cost of living from gas and groceries and housing and health care back at home and across the country. And it just seemed a ripe opportunity to direct a very clear yes or no question to the Secretary of Energy. Energy costs are rising all over the country, including in my district, Ohio's 13th. And I wanted to hear directly from the secretary, did he agree with President Trump's terminology of loving inflation? And he said no, as I assume he would, as most Americans are not too keen on inflation and increase costs. And you saw what happened next.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

If anybody wonders if law degrees can come in handy for elected office, they can watch that exchange. Now, there was another notable part of your questioning is when Wright seemed completely unaware that Trump had claimed that the US military had helped 100 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz,

[News Analyst/Narrator]

despite him being, of course, the Energy secretary. I would note he should know that sort of thing.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And what was said by the president? According to the New York Times, Trump was referring to previously reported efforts by the US Military to help commercial ships through the strait. But what do you make of the fact that Wright had no idea what

[News Analyst/Narrator]

you were talking about and tell people watching what's actually going on with this?

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

Well, we heard the secretary dodge questions about grants and funding opportunities and ways to lower costs for hours. And, you know, hearing that stunning admission from the president that they had secretly taken hundreds, millions of barrels of crude oil from Iran was stunning, because where is the oil? Is it being sold? Why are gas prices still so high if you have all of this reserve? And so I would have expected the secretary to know exactly where these barrels are. But apparently, just as President Trump said, no one knew, including Iran, in that moment, and neither did Secretary Wright.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

What did you make of.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I mean, in all seriousness, it's like sometimes you watch them and it's ludicrous and you watch them try to defend Trump's statements, and it's just. It's embarrassing and hard to watch.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

He's the Energy Secretary. He's supposed to know about oil markets.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

He has over, you know, he has a lot under his purview.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

What did you make of his answers? His inability to answer any of them,

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

his, I guess, fealty and fear of Trump?

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

Well, he started. I started my questioning around meritocracy because they were talking about programs that encouraged women and people of color as being improper. And he then quoted mlk, and I said, you know, this is out of your league. This is not part of your expertise. But then to have an exchange in that way and then show how unprepared and illogical and reckless they're behaving. There is not a meritocracy in this administration. We're only seeing the folks who are the most loyal to the president rise, and they can't answer simple questions like, where are millions of barrels of oil that have been confiscated from Iran? You would expect the Secretary of Energy to know the answer to that question. And if, in fact, they were working on merit and skill and logic and intelligence, he would have known it. But they're not. And so that's why he could not.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I don't have much time left, but maybe it's a warning to them.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

But what else do you want to know from this administration?

[Congresswoman Amelia Sykes]

I want to know where the Epstein files are. Well, and I want to know when they're going to lower costs, too.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

Well, those are very important things to question, and I fear for the next person you have to question at a hearing.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

But I will look forward to watching it. Thank you so much for being here tonight.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

I really appreciate it.

[News Analyst/Narrator]

That does it for me tonight. You can catch the show Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern on Ms. Now.

[Joe (Host/Interviewer)]

And don't forget to follow the show

[News Analyst/Narrator]

on Blue sky, Instagram and TikTok.

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