The Daily Beast Podcast

Episode: "I Know Why Melania Is Panicking About Epstein"

Host: Joanna Coles
Guest: Jen Welsh (Co-host, "I've Had It" podcast)
Date: April 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dissects the latest bombshell statement from Melania Trump about Jeffrey Epstein, exploring why she’s suddenly calling for a full investigation and public hearings around survivors. Host Joanna Coles is joined by Jen Welsh, delivering their signature sharp analysis, dark humor, and deep skepticism toward the motivations of the Trump camp, with digressions into MAGA politics, hypocrisy among evangelical politicians, spiraling Republican foreign policy, and the current state of the American right.

Key Discussion Points

1. Melania Trump’s Epstein Statement

• Delivery and Motivation:
  • Jen and Joanna scrutinize Melania’s recent press conference, wherein she denies any connection or wrongdoing regarding Jeffrey Epstein and calls for congressional hearings for victims.
  • Jen describes Melania as “smug, sanctimonious, hypocritical,” questioning the credibility of anything she does or says, given her proximity to Donald Trump and their shared scandals.
• Possible Motives:
  • Jen: Theories include Melania wanting to distract from Trump’s political failures, personal animosity toward him, or being directed by Trump's new advisor, Todd Blanche, to move the media cycle away from the ongoing war in Iran ([02:42], [05:16]).
  • Joanna highlights Melania’s isolation from New York society and how the statement could be a form of internal sabotage or public distancing.

Notable Quote:

“When she said, ‘these lies need to stop right now,’ I’m like, my listeners have been in the comment section saying, don’t forget about the Epstein files. Make sure you keep it at the top of the news cycle. And much to my surprise, we all have a rather strange bedfellow in Melania Trump.” – Jen Welsh [03:25]

2. Online Fallout and the Amanda Ungaro Allegations

• Amanda Ungaro’s Claims:
  • Jen reports that Amanda Ungaro (ex-partner of Paolo Zampoli, who introduced Melania to Trump) publicly accused Melania and Trump of involvement with Epstein, referencing her own ICE detention and deportation allegedly enabled by Trump’s circle ([06:40]–[09:29]).
  • Ungaro’s tweet is highlighted as particularly explosive, with Julie K. Brown (NYT) now giving the story credibility.
• Vacuum and Conspiracies:
  • The hosts discuss how Trump-world secrecy breeds rampant speculation and why these stories have “meat on the bones.”

3. Melania's Modeling Past and Republican Hypocrisy

• Modeling Industry Abuse & Hypocrisy:
  • Discussion of the vulnerability of models trafficked by agencies linked to Epstein, Zampoli, and Trump.
  • Joanna challenges the myth of Melania as a “supermodel” and notes her lack of ties with the fashion world.
• Republican Image Management:
  • Jen argues Trump and Melania’s continuous attempt to seek credibility despite repeated public embarrassment.
  • Both hosts note the bizarre spectacle of advocating for victims while ignoring evidence and past complicity.

Notable Quote:

“As for Melania not being able to speak English very well, I think one of the big lies that have come out of the Trump regime is that Melania Trump speaks seven languages.” – Jen Welsh [11:22]

4. The Broader Political Landscape: MAGA, Iran War, and Evangelical Nationalism

MAGA Base and Cognitive Dissonance

• Core Trump Support:
  • Analysis of “Triple Trumpers”—those who’ve voted for Trump three times—depicted as enjoying multiculturalism even as they support white nationalist policies ([17:11]–[19:49]).
  • Jen: “The best thing about this country is multiculturalism. And they all enjoy it... They never connect ‘oh, this is what makes our country so cool.’”

Foreign Policy Fiascos

• Trump’s War in Iran:
  • The hosts critique Trump’s impulsive, chaotic foreign policy, his tendency to reward sycophants, and the risks of escalating war ([21:01]–[32:11]).
  • Coles: “He started a war and handed the key to the Strait of Hormuz to the very people we were supposed to be taking out of the scenario.”

Christian Signaling and Militarism

• Weaponized Christianity:
  • Jen points to Pete Hegseth and others “virtue signaling” Christian motives to justify military actions ([24:05]–[26:02]).
  • Concern is raised about the infiltration of extremist Christian ideology within the military and ICE.

Notable Quotes:

“The right accuses us of virtue signaling. And I think what’s far more dangerous is Christian signaling.” – Jen Welsh [24:25]
“If Trump were to nuke Iran, the economic calamity from that is beyond comprehension.” – Jen Welsh [27:41]

5. The MAGA Hypocrisy Parade

• Deep Dive into Right-Wing Scandals:
  • Kristi Noem’s “godly marriage” and her husband “Big Titty Brian’s” OnlyFans scandal, as a microcosm of Republican double standards ([38:47]–[44:07]).
  • Senator Markwayne Mullin (“Senator Booster Box”) is mockingly discussed as a puppet for Stephen Miller, further illustrating MAGA’s performative politics.
• Policing and Racial Violence:
  • The deaths of protestors at the hands of police and the consistent targeting of vulnerable and minority groups are identified as manifestations of long-standing injustice ([45:49]–[49:21]).

Notable Quote:

“These are not serious people doing serious things. They just have a very serious job.” – Jen Welsh [36:51]

6. Hope, Cynicism, and the Road Ahead

• Midterm Optimism:
  • Jen expresses hope that the upcoming midterms will be “too big to rig,” citing local election upsets even in deep-red Oklahoma ([51:05]–[52:13]).
• Why Not Run for Office?:
  • Jen dismisses the idea, asserting politics requires policy wonks, not entertainers—a jab at the Trumpified political culture ([52:15]–[53:22]).
• The Next Generation:
  • Optimism about a rising, economically progressive, tech-savvy younger generation contrasted with the old guard’s obsession with culture wars ([53:38]–[54:30]).
• Lasting Trump Fatigue:
  • A frank discussion about the paradox of Trump’s continued dominance in American life and the persistent loyalty of about a third of the electorate ([57:27]–[59:35]).

Notable Quotes:

“It’s relentless, this guy. It’s relentless.” – Jen Welsh [59:20]
“In order for the Democrats to take this down, they... have to install a government, an FDR style government that delivers materially for the American public.” – Jen Welsh [58:47]

Most Memorable Moments & Quotes, With Timestamps

• Jen’s take on Melania’s sanctimony:
  “Who are you married to? Where do you live? Who are the people you hang out with all of the time?” [02:42]
• Joanna on Melania’s demand for survivor hearings:
  “Is this a huge F-U to her husband?” [04:00]
• Jen, summing up the Trump dynamic:
  “This presidency is wiped out... She thought in Trump 2.0 she was going to be the second coming of Jackie Kennedy. And it has been the face plant to end all face plants.” [05:16]
• Joanna on Trump’s lack of foreign policy comprehension:
  “He started a war and handed the key to the Strait of Hormuz to the very people we were supposed to be taking out of the scenario.” [30:38]
• Jen on MAGA hypocrisy:
  “I am a hypocrisy shamer. I think that these hypocrites need to be shamed. They’re sanctimonious, they fetishize gay people at night and ostracize them during the day.” [41:51]
• Jen on the serious business of unserious people:
  “These are not serious people doing serious things. They just have a very serious job.” [36:51]

Additional Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:34] – Introduction & context for Melania’s Epstein statement
• [06:35] – Amanda Ungaro allegations and the modeling agency backstory
• [12:00] – Melania’s call for further investigation; which men might be implicated?
• [16:22] – Discussion of “Triple Trumpers” and MAGA’s core
• [21:01] – Trump’s war approach and loss of neocon support
• [24:05] – “Christian signaling” and evangelical militarism
• [38:47] – Hypocrisy shame: Kristi Noem and “Big Titty Brian”
• [45:49] – Police violence, racial disparities, and protest deaths
• [51:05] – Outlook for the midterms and small signs of hope
• [57:27] – Enduring Trump fatigue and the challenge of entrenched MAGA voters

Tone & Style

The conversation is irreverent and biting, blending political skepticism, dark humor, and an air of “dinner party gossip” with serious observations about democracy, justice, and the American right. Jen’s outrage at hypocrisy and the machinations of the Trump world is palpable and often hilarious, matched by Joanna’s urbane, perceptive questioning.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a whip-smart, provocative debrief on Melania Trump’s sudden public stance about Epstein, why the Trump world seems permanently at the center of every scandal, and the bizarre, sometimes terrifying place we find ourselves as a democracy on the edge. Jen and Joanna parse both the signal and noise with specificity and sarcasm—making the complex, disjointed news cycle feel not only clear, but darkly comic.

[Listen to the full episode for more details, and don’t miss Jen’s legendary Melania impression!]