Podcast Summary:

The Briefing with Jen Psaki – 'Likely Incriminated': Congressman Names Six Men Unredacted from Epstein Files
Host: Jen Psaki
Date: February 11, 2026

Overview

This episode of The Briefing with Jen Psaki centers on two major breaking news stories:

1. The ongoing fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files, including new revelations about high-profile figures implicated in the documents and Congressman Ro Khanna’s public disclosure of previously redacted names.
2. Breaking developments in the U.S. political and legal landscape, such as the failure to indict Democratic lawmakers on seditious conspiracy and legal questions about recent election probes.

Jen interviews Congressman Ro Khanna about his efforts to unmask individuals shielded in the Epstein files, and also features commentary from survivors’ advocates and legal expert Preet Bharara on contemporary political investigations and the urgent need for accountability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Global Impact of the Newly Released Epstein Files

• British Political Crisis:

  • Peter Mandelson (former UK Ambassador to the U.S.) is under investigation for allegedly leaking sensitive financial information to Epstein, including advance notice of a €500 billion EU bailout (04:20).
  • The scandal has led to calls for British PM Keir Starmer’s resignation—purely over his decision to appoint someone with ties to Epstein. Even the King of England is supporting an investigation into Prince Andrew.
  • Jen: "That's how completely toxic Jeffrey Epstein is in a normal political environment." (05:28)

• U.S. Response:

  • Trump Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick—who publicly disavowed any relationship with Epstein—was revealed in documents to have visited Epstein Island with his family in 2012, contradicting prior statements (06:36–10:03).
  • The Trump White House has publicly maintained support for Lutnick despite these revelations (11:20).
  • Jen: "Taking your children to the island with Jeffrey Epstein and nannies. Lots. But we don't have time for that." (10:24)

2. Ro Khanna’s Fight for Transparency & Accountability (12:29–22:08)

• Revelation of Hidden Names:

  • Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie visited the DOJ, discovering that 70–80% of the files are still redacted and managed to uncover the names of six influential men previously concealed by the DOJ (12:29–13:44).
    • Names include: Salvatore Navora, Zorab Michaladez, Lipig Leonor, Nicola Kaputa, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayam (CEO of Dubai Ports World), and billionaire Leslie Wexner.
    • Khanna: "If we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those 3 million files." (13:22)

• Obstacles to Accountability:

  • DOJ initially claimed files were fully unredacted. Khanna argues this is a cover-up, with most damaging and detailed information residing in FBI files that remain heavily redacted (19:28–21:51).
  • Khanna: "I never used to use the word cover up, but it's certainly a cover up."

• Call for Consequences:

  • Khanna calls for Commerce Secretary Lutnick’s resignation, stating it is a bipartisan issue of integrity and accountability (14:56).
  • Khanna: "It's not a political issue, a Republican or a Democratic issue...You have, literally our ambassador for business to the world who lied to the American people about his relationship with Epstein..." (14:56)

3. Congressional and Justice Department Response

• Survivors and advocates, including Sky and Amanda Roberts (relatives of Virginia Giuffre), speak on the pain of delayed justice, systemic coverups, and the urgent need for Congress to unmask all perpetrators (41:39–45:27).
  • The statute of limitations prevents many sex trafficking victims from pursuing justice; "Virginia’s Law" is proposed to abolish this barrier.
  • Amanda Roberts: "We're talking about a global sex trafficking ring that operated for almost 30 years... The web is deep." (44:39)
  • Sky Roberts: "You can read through it clear as day that the names of the perpetrators are being redacted and the names of the survivors are being unredacted… This is the DOJ's fault, and they are breaking the law right now." (43:34)

4. Additional Major Stories Covered

• Failing Seditious Conspiracy Charges:
  • A federal grand jury declined to indict six Democratic members of Congress for seditious conspiracy after a video encouraging military members not to follow illegal orders.
  • Preet Bharara describes the rarity and significance of grand juries rejecting indictments and calls out the administration for pursuing questionable cases (31:58–33:35).
    • Preet: "You're doing something wrong and you need to knock it off. That's all I'll say." (33:30)
• Controversial Fulton County Election Raid:
  • The basis for the FBI's raid on Georgia ballots is traced to election deniers, with Preet Bharara and Jen discussing the legal and political implications, and urging vigilance and legal rigor in response (24:23–31:06).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the British political fallout:
  • Jen Psaki (05:28): "That's how completely toxic Jeffrey Epstein is in a normal political environment...the King of England is supporting a police investigation into his own brother."
• On Howard Lutnick and the U.S. response:
  • Howard Lutnick (06:36): "He, like, gets like, weirdly close to me and he says, and the right kind of massage...I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again."
  • Jen Psaki (08:04): "Yeah, he is gross. But again, that was Lutnick just four months ago saying that he was never even in a room with Epstein...Then in this latest batch of Epstein files. Well, we got this."
• On discovering hidden names:
  • Ro Khanna (12:29): "We learned that 70 to 80% of the files are still redacted. In fact, there were six wealthy, powerful men that the DOJ hid for no apparent reason."
• On lack of accountability:
  • Ro Khanna (16:33): "What the survivors want, what people want is accountability. And that for me was sort of a cry out saying, look, let's start to hold people accountable."
• On persistent cover-up:
  • Ro Khanna (19:28): "I never used to use the word cover up, but it's certainly a cover up that they did not un redact those FBI files and that they did that in blatant violation of the law that was passed."
• On institutional enablers:
  • Amanda Roberts (44:39): "We have to think about the institutions that enabled this, right? The financial institutions, the lawyers, the doctors, all of the people that allowed this to operate for over 30 years."
• On political prosecutions:
  • Preet Bharara (33:30): "When you go through the process...and then it turns out that you have, you know, a BS case that multiple grand juries have rejected...You're doing something wrong and you need to knock it off."

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:49 | Jen opens with breaking news on failed indictments of Democratic lawmakers | | 04:20 | Discussion of UK fallout from Epstein files; Mandelson’s financial leak to Epstein | | 06:36 | Howard Lutnick describes his interaction with Epstein | | 08:04 | Jen reveals evidence contradicting Lutnick’s public denials | | 09:58 | Lutnick admits, under Senate questioning, to visiting Epstein’s island | | 12:29 | Rep. Ro Khanna recounts visit to DOJ; discovery of six redacted names | | 13:00 | Khanna reads six names on the House floor | | 14:56 | Khanna calls for Lutnick’s resignation, stressing this is a bipartisan issue | | 16:33 | Khanna describes the significance of the redacted names and victim accountability | | 18:22 | Khanna addresses contradictions to FBI Director’s claims on trafficking network | | 19:28 | DOJ and FBI’s continued cover-up—most damaging files remain redacted | | 31:58 | Preet Bharara on grand jury rejecting seditious conspiracy indictments | | 41:39 | Amanda Roberts on the urgency of eliminating statute of limitations for survivors | | 44:39 | Amanda Roberts on the vast scale of the Epstein trafficking/conspiracy web |

Conclusion

This episode underscored the enormous, ongoing repercussions from the release of the Epstein files both domestically and internationally, the systemic resistance to accountability by the DOJ and FBI, and a rare, bipartisan push from members of Congress—spearheaded by Ro Khanna—to uncover the truth and achieve justice for survivors. The conversation was bolstered by insights from legal experts and frontline advocates, stressing the urgent need for institutional reform and transparency.