Podcast Summary: The Briefing with Jen Psaki
Episode Title: New Epstein docs point to potential co-conspirators; Trump DOJ still slow-walks release
Host: Jen Psaki
Date: December 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jen Psaki unpacks the latest document release in the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein investigation, highlighting significant revelations and the continued lack of transparency from the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Trump administration. She is joined by Congressman Ro Khanna (lead co-sponsor of the Epstein Files Transparency Act), survivor Annie Farmer, her attorney Jennifer Freeman, and later, journalist Terry Moran and former CIA director John Brennan. Key themes include the exposure of potential co-conspirators, the DOJ’s resistance to full disclosure, survivor advocacy and experiences, and broader discussions on media freedom and claims of "national security" under Trump.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Latest Epstein Files Release (01:01–09:10)

• Incomplete Release, Heavy Redactions: Psaki highlights the DOJ’s continued withholding and redaction of documents required by law despite bipartisan demand for transparency. Notably, the law does not permit redactions for embarrassment or reputational harm.
• Major Revelations:
  • Discovery of a 2019 DOJ email showing investigators were focused on 10 potential Epstein co-conspirators—only one (Ghislaine Maxwell) has ever been charged.
  • Existence of detailed DOJ memos on "coconspirators we could potentially charge" (one memo is 7 pages, another expanded version is 86 pages); none have been released.
  • Evidence of connections involving former President Trump, including references to previously unknown flights with Epstein and a DOJ subpoena for Mar-A-Lago employment records.
  • Notable correspondence implicates figures beyond Trump, such as a 2001 email to Ghislaine Maxwell from the man formerly known as Prince Andrew requesting “new inappropriate friends.”

Quote:

"Perhaps the biggest bombshell in today's jump of files is this July 2019 email exchange between DOJ officials suggesting that investigators were looking at 10 potential Epstein co-conspirators at the time. That's obviously huge news since to this day only one Epstein co-conspirator has ever been charged in the case. And that's of course Ghislaine Maxwell." (Psaki, 04:02)

2. Congressional Response & Survivor Advocacy (09:10–14:53)

Interview with Congressman Ro Khanna

• Khanna stresses that the survivors’ FBI witness interviews (Form 302s) contain the real names, and the law requires these be made public.
• Emphasizes DOJ redactions serve only to protect "the rich and powerful" rather than survivors.
• Describes bipartisan efforts (with Rep. Thomas Massie) to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for noncompliance, with daily fines planned.

Quote:

“...the Department of Justice, frankly, and this is not an exaggeration, is more concerned about hurting the reputation of the rich and powerful men who abused the survivors than...they are protecting the survivors.” (Khanna, 10:55)

• Khanna points out the unfair public identification (doxxing) of a survivor versus protection of alleged co-conspirators’ identities.

Quote:

“They preyed on working class girls, they preyed on girls who were vulnerable. But what we are going to do is hold Pam Bondi in contempt...But the country is not gonna abandon these survivors.” (Khanna, 14:13)

3. Survivor Testimony and Legal Strategy (16:59–26:07)

Interview with Annie Farmer (Epstein Survivor) and Attorney Jennifer Freeman

• Maria Farmer’s Story Comes to Light: Maria Farmer’s 1996 FBI complaint is finally public, showing the government’s decades-long inaction.
• Survivors’ Frustrations:
  • Exhaustion from the media “drip, drip, drip” of incomplete revelations.
  • Redactions of alleged perpetrators’ names while some victims’ identities are revealed.
  • Continuous burden placed on survivors rather than systemic accountability.

Quote:

"It was very troubling to see that despite the law requiring that those types of things not be redacted, they had been. And especially in light of learning that victims' names were not being redacted properly." (Annie Farmer, 21:39)

• Legal Actions Ongoing:
  • Active litigation seeking transparency and accountability.
  • Calls for independent investigations into the DOJ and FBI’s handling of the original complaints.

Quote:

"We really need to understand what did they do and when did they do it and what did they know?" (Jennifer Freeman, 25:31)

4. Media Integrity & Political Influence at CBS News (28:19–37:00)

Interview with Terry Moran (Veteran Journalist)

• 60 Minutes Segment Spiked: CBS News’ new editor-in-chief forced producers to pull a torture/deportation story, citing incomplete White House comment.
• Industry Backlash: Internal email (Sharon Alfonsi, 31:26) denounces this as trading journalistic standards for “a single week of political quiet”.
• Concerns Raised:
  • Editorial independence and political influence—parallels to global media suppression.
  • Broader threat to press freedom under powerful corporate and government interests.

Quote:

"If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a kill switch for any reporting they find inconvenient." (Sharon Alfonsi, read by Psaki at 29:32)

5. Claiming "National Security": Trump’s Catch-All Justification (37:01–45:21)

Discussion with John Brennan (Former CIA Director)

• National Security as Pretext:
  Trump invokes “national security” to justify a diverse array of controversial or self-beneficial decisions—from secrecy around the Epstein files, Greenland annexation, and wind power bans, to military action in Venezuela.
• Growing Executive Overreach:
  Lack of coherent policy or rationale, alarming intelligence and foreign policy communities.

Quote:

"Donald Trump's concept of national security is far, far different than national security that I was involved in for close to 35 years." (John Brennan, 40:40)

• On DOJ Investigation Against Brennan:
  Concerns over legal forum shopping and weaponizing the court system to favor Trump, with Brennan calling the investigation “farcical”.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Document Release Frustration:
  “Answers to the big questions concerning who knew about Epstein's crimes and who may have participated in them are still shrouded in a lot of black ink.” (Psaki, 08:39)

• DOJ’s Priorities:
  “...the Department of Justice...is more concerned about hurting the reputation of the rich and powerful men who abused the survivors than...they are protecting the survivors.” (Khanna, 10:55)

• On Survivor Exhaustion:
  “I feel really exhausted. I feel stressed out. I'm struggling with sleep. You know, I have a stomach ache...all these physical ways that this is manifesting for us.” (Annie Farmer, 23:55)

• Press Suppression:
  “If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a kill switch for any reporting they find inconvenient.” (Sharon Alfonsi as read by Jen Psaki, 29:32)

• National Security Rationale:
  “National security has become Trump's justification of choice for everything these days.” (Psaki, 37:19)

Additional Highlights with Timestamps

Epstein File Revelations Breakdown:

• 10 unnamed co-conspirators in DOJ email: (04:02–05:10)
• New details about Trump’s flights with Epstein: (06:45)
• Attempts by Congress to hold DOJ to account: (08:58–09:10)

Congressman Khanna’s Interview:

• Law prohibits redaction for political or reputational reasons: (10:45)
• DOJ’s failure to protect survivors’ identities: (11:35–12:00)
• Upcoming legal/political pressure on AG Pam Bondi: (13:52–14:53)

Annie Farmer & Jennifer Freeman’s Segment:

• Maria Farmer’s validation after 29 years: (19:25–19:48)
• Need for a neutral investigation and release of all witness documents: (21:39–23:55)

Media Segment:

• CBS/60 Minutes editorial crisis: (28:19–31:26)
• Sharon Alfonsi’s leaked internal memo: (29:32)

National Security Segment:

• Trump’s use of "national security" re: Epstein, Greenland, Windmills, Venezuela: (37:01–40:40)
• Brennan on the legal process possibly being influenced for political gain: (43:06–45:21)

Summary Tone

The episode maintains a serious, critical, and empathetic tone throughout, reflecting the gravity of survivor experiences, ongoing governmental failures, and threats to transparency and accountability. Psaki, Khanna, Farmer, Freeman, and guests speak earnestly and, at times, with frustration and urgency about the scale and persistence of institutional failures across government and media.

Conclusion

This episode spotlights the enduring opacity surrounding the Epstein investigation, the bipartisan push for authentic transparency, the exhaustion and determination of survivors, mounting concerns about press freedom, and the Trump administration’s broad use of “national security” to shield actions from scrutiny. Listeners come away with a comprehensive understanding of the stakes involved—not just for Epstein survivors, but for government accountability and democratic norms.