Inside Trump's Head

Episode: I’ve Seen Epstein Pics of Trump With Topless Girls
Hosts: Michael Wolff & Joanna Coles
Date: October 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles dissect the psyche and recent actions of Donald Trump, focusing on his obsession with recognition like the Nobel Peace Prize, the ongoing political fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and the performative aspects of his politics. Wolff shares, for the first time on record, that he has seen photographs of Donald Trump with topless young women taken by Jeffrey Epstein, sparking discussion about their existence, the political maneuvers to conceal them, and the broader culture of stagecraft in Trump’s orbit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Donald Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize Obsession

[03:27-11:24]

• Trump’s fixation with accolades and being recognized—specifically, his ongoing hope of winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Wolff: “If he doesn't get it, the leap that he immediately makes is they haven't given it to him, is that he's been cheated out of it. Of course.” (09:18)
• Comparison to Obama as an additional motivator.
• Satirical commentary on Trump’s claims of “ending seven wars,” including conflicts that “weren’t even at war with each other.”
• The duo speculates on the Nobel Committee’s decision-making and Trump’s knack for making every situation about himself.

2. The Jeffrey Epstein-Donald Trump Photos

[12:27-22:42; esp. 14:08-21:21]

• Michael Wolff reveals he has seen explicit Polaroids of Trump with topless young women at Epstein’s Palm Beach home:
  • “There were specifically three that I remember... two in which topless young women... are sitting in Trump's lap... around the swimming pool.” (19:06)
  • In a third, a stain on Trump’s trousers causes the girls in the picture to laugh and point.
  • Epstein handled these as party tricks, laying them out “like a deck of cards,” and secured them in his safe.
  • Attempts by Wolff to encourage Epstein to use the photos after Trump was elected were rebuffed out of fear: “I may be such and such, but I'm not crazy.” (20:27)
• The chain of custody for the Epstein files remains unclear. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse questioned Pam Bondi during an oversight hearing about the photos; she evaded the question aggressively, refusing to confirm or deny knowledge of them—what Wolff calls “stonewalling.” (14:08)
• The status of the photos after Epstein’s 2019 arrest and death is unknown.

3. Political Stagecraft & Congressional Oversight

[22:42-34:32]

• Joanna and Michael analyze the performative nature of modern politics, especially around Trump and his legal/professional defenders:
  • Testimonies before Congress are now “stagecraft events,” driven just as much by audience perception as substantive answers. (30:09)
  • Michael shares that Trump pushes his lawyers to use personal attacks (“attack, attack, attack. You have to call them out. You have to tell them that they're scumbags”). (32:12)
  • Trump’s communication style is highlighted as defining for his circle, influencing even people like Pam Bondi.
• The “audience of one”—the idea that much political theater is ultimately for Trump’s approval.

4. The Trump Doctrine: Dominance, Submission & Law-and-Order

[35:00-46:08]

• Trump’s use of the National Guard in cities like Chicago and Washington, staged for TV as a demonstration of power.
  • Governor J.B. Pritzker openly accuses Trump of dementia, comparing him to Biden, questioning both’s cognitive fitness.
• Trump’s need to demonstrate dominance, even when no clear policy goal exists, is emphasized:
  • “We don't really know, and we would be hard pressed to say, what's the measure of success here? What is the goal? To get rid of crime. Okay, well, good luck with that.” (37:27)
• Discussion of crime statistics—perception versus reality—and the Republican penchant for using law-and-order as a wedge issue.

5. The Fate of the Epstein Files & Congressional Stonewalling

[26:07-31:47]

• After Epstein’s death, unclear what happened to his evidence.
  • Jurisdictional confusion between local, federal, and Justice Department efforts.
  • Wolff: “Who has this where, and in what form?” (26:40)
  • Pam Bondi and the FBI head both refuse to answer about the existence/status of the Trump Epstien photos.
• Joanna urges listeners to read the Daily Beast’s coverage of Bondi’s notes—premeditated attack strategies shown in her own handwriting.

6. Democratic Party Infighting & Public Messaging

[39:13-48:56]

• Pritzker’s call for Democratic unity and more aggressive responses to Trump.
• Discussion of whether Biden or Trump displays more signs of cognitive decline, referencing Dr. John Gartner’s appearance on a prior episode.
• Relation to the ongoing government shutdown and the Democrats’ struggle to control the narrative, especially on healthcare.

7. Miscellaneous & Teasers

[52:01-end]

• Lighthearted banter about their audience, comments, and production team.
• Teaser for next episode: Michael’s theory on Melania Trump’s sudden reappearance.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Michael Wolff on the Epstein Photos:
  “I am one of the people who has seen these pictures, and these are pictures that Jeffrey Epstein would take, take out of his safe and kind of display on his dining room table, almost as you would playing cards. This amused him to have these pictures.” (14:08)

• Joanna Coles, stunned at the Epstein story:
  “I just had a moment there where my breath left my body. Let me hear that one more time. You met the head of the Nobel Prize Committee at Jeffrey Epstein’s house?” (07:49)

• Michael Wolff on Trump’s worldview:
  “If there's something to be had which he thinks is to his advantage, then he wants it. Why wouldn't he want it?...Other people have gotten this. Why can't he get this award?” (08:56)

• Joanna Coles, on pre-planned aggressive responses:
  “And these were notes of attack that she'd actually written down, which a photographer rather brilliantly managed to take a snapshot of... She went on full attack instead of answering the question.” (13:40)

• Michael Wolff, on Trump’s insistence on public confrontation:
  “And it was always his demands: attack, attack, attack, attack. You have to call them out. You have to tell them that they're scumbags.” (32:12)

• Michael Wolff, on law-and-order as theater:
  “Law and order as an issue, especially for Republicans, has been a traditional winner... Trump sets this up and kind of smart sets this up. You know, this is about law and order and then leaving the various blue state governors to talk about constitutional process.” (46:08)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:27] — Framing Trump’s place among politicians and fixation on recognition
• [06:14-11:24] — Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize ambitions and feelings of being cheated
• [12:27-22:42] — Oversight Committee on Epstein; Michael Wolff details the Trump pics
• [30:09-32:12] — Congressional performance and Trump’s aggressive tactics
• [35:00-39:13] — National Guard in cities; law & order theatrics; accusations of dementia
• [46:08-48:56] — Crime stats, PR battle over shutdown, and Democrats’ tactical weaknesses
• [52:01] — Listener engagement; Melania Trump teaser

Tone & Style

• Candid, irreverent, dryly humorous: Both hosts frequently punctuate their analysis with wry jokes, disbelief, and skepticism, especially when recounting Trump’s claims or the absurdities of recent ‘stagecraft.’
• Insider perspective: Wolff’s anecdotes, especially about Epstein and Trump, convey both authority and a sense of being weary-but-fascinated observers.
• Bantering partnership: Wolff and Coles riff off each other, alternating between depth and levity.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard the Episode

This conversation is a deep dive into the psychology and performance of modern political power, with uniquely unfiltered insights about Trump's actions—as observed by the man who (allegedly) saw what no investigator or lawyer has: Trump in embarrassing, potentially incriminating Epstein photographs. The episode sheds light on Washington's 'stagecraft,' Trump’s obsession with perception and dominance, and the ways both his allies and opponents attempt to navigate the chaos he creates.

Teaser: Next episode promises analysis on Melania Trump’s unexpected return to the public eye.