The David Pakman Show Episode: "They found a way to hide the files anyway as Trump flips out" Date: November 20, 2025 Host: David Pakman

Episode Overview

In this episode, David Pakman delivers a comprehensive, incisive analysis of the latest developments surrounding the potential release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the ensuing political chaos within the Republican party and MAGA movement, and the long-term implications for Donald Trump and the 2026 midterms. As Trump’s circle scrambles to justify withholding public information, Pakman unpacks the layers of political self-interest, smokescreens, and the surprising cracks in partisan loyalty—particularly as MAGA hardliners like Marjorie Taylor Greene turn against Trump. Trump’s unraveling is further illuminated by devastating new polling data and a revealing look at his authoritarian tendencies through his interactions with the press and international strongmen.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Epstein Files Scandal: Obfuscation and Excuses

• Department of Justice Stonewalling:

  • AG Pam Bondi, flanked by FBI Director Cash Patel, claims the DOJ will release more than 33,000 Epstein documents yet refuses to commit to releasing all files, citing "maximum transparency" and “ongoing investigations.” (03:23–07:48)
  • Repeated dodges imply new obstacles: recently discovered "new information," a sudden “pending investigation” in SDNY, and legal hand-wringing, all foreseen tactics to avoid a total release.
  • Quote (Pam Bondi, 04:10): "We will continue to follow the law with maximum transparency while protecting victims."
  • Pakman’s takeaway (07:48): “That is the key line. We now have a pending investigation in the Southern District of New York… They are never going to stop coming up with ways to prevent the full and robust release of these files.”

• Republican Semantics: “There is no Epstein List”

  • Rep. James Comer floats the notion that "there is no Epstein list," and if the DOJ hasn't compiled one, Republicans may "construct our own" (24:04–26:06).
  • Pakman highlights that this "list construction" is basically a pretext for creating partisan narratives—possibly to shield specific political interests.
  • Quote (Comer, 24:04): “If there’s no Epstein list… we’ll have to construct our own.”
  • Pakman draws a parallel with prior failed GOP investigations: “When I hear him say, ‘we’re going to do this like the Biden probe,’ you know it’s not going to be good.” (25:21)

2. Trump Loses Control over MAGA

• Insurrection Within the Party:

  • Trump reportedly tried to pressure MAGA lawmakers not to vote for full Epstein transparency but was rebuffed. Recognizing he’d lose, Trump quickly reversed course, now pretending to support release. (09:00+)
  • Tina Brown’s sharp analysis: MAGA’s obsession with alleged pedophilia means Trump’s base “mainlines” the issue. There’s too much visual and email documentation tying Trump to Epstein to suppress the narrative.

• Marjorie Taylor Greene Breaks Ranks:

  • Greene, once a day-one MAGA stalwart, now accuses Trump of “ripping the movement apart” by trying to suppress the files, signaling a dramatic fracturing of the base. (44:29–46:02)
    • Quote (Marjorie Taylor Greene, 44:44): “Watching this actually turn into a fight has ripped MAGA apart. And the only thing that will speak to the powerful, courageous women behind me is when action is actually taken to release these files. And the American people won't tolerate any other bullshit.”
  • Pakman: “This is how demagogues lose control—not in some explosive, dramatic moment…but people start saying no and nothing happens to them… This is one of the first times that someone from deep inside of MAGA is attacking Trump in a way that actually hits a nerve.” (46:02)

3. The Leaks and Survivor Stories

• Amid the media maelstrom and internal GOP bickering, survivor accounts begin to surface more publicly, describing the sickening abuses tied to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (11:00–13:00). Pakman laments how these voices have been sidelined in the furor over partisan damage control.

4. Political Blowback: Polls and Party Identity

• Devastating Polls for Trump and GOP:

  • New PBS/NPR/Marist data: Democrats lead the midterm ballot by the largest margin in 8 years—Democrats +14 nationally, +33 among independents. Trump’s approval is underwater (39% approve, 56% disapprove). (18:00–22:00)
  • Pakman (18:40): “That, if it holds, is a brutalization.”
  • Comparison to the 2018 “Blue Wave”—now with Trump even less popular and his base collapsing.

• GOP Image: 60% of voters now see Republicans as “the closed-minded party,” cutting against the party’s old “free speech” narrative. (22:30)

5. Fox News Clips—Disinformation and Spin

• James Comer and Maria Bartiromo repeatedly muddy the waters about the Epstein investigation, “list construction,” and try to conflate it with previous grievances (Jan 6, Russia probe, Biden laptop, etc.)—clearest example of right-wing media narrative manufacturing. (26:15–28:45)
• Scott Turner (HUD Secretary) dodges a simple question on how undocumented immigrants get mortgages—a recurring theme: disinformation replaces substantive answers. (30:20–31:37)
  • Pakman, fact-checking (32:00+): “Undocumented immigrants can’t get a federally backed mortgage… There is no program that allows undocumented immigrants to get a mortgage. This is completely and totally made up out of thin air, which is their favorite.”

6. Trump’s Psychology and Press Antagonism

• Montage of Trump publicly melting down—especially when challenged by women reporters—illustrates both misogyny and a deep personal insecurity. (38:35–41:04)
  • Pakman (41:04): “When men ask Trump confrontational questions, he gets snippy. When it’s a woman, he flips a switch and goes into red-face toddler mode… This really isn’t just misogyny. It’s insecurity. It is fear. It’s this lifelong wound that Trump is still bleeding from. And we’re all suffering.”

7. Authoritarian Sympathies and International Relations

• Gushing Over Autocrats:

  • Trump effusively praises the Saudi Crown Prince (“the most distinguished gentleman, he’s my friend… Thank you, Mohammed, I appreciate it” [57:36–58:14]), and touts his chairmanship of a “United Nations Board of Peace”—a staged event to cloak personal ambition in global legitimacy. (53:04–58:29)
  • Pakman (58:29): “The President… visibly gushing over one of the worst human rights denying autocrats… That is the state of the United States as we approach the end of 2025. Sad, sad state of affairs.”

• Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims:

  • Trump misleads about job records, inflation, and his “crusade against WOKE,” which Pakman points out is at odds with free-speech rhetoric. (54:17, 55:15)

8. Odds and Ends: Perfume Anecdotes and Personal Deflections

• Caroline Levitt, Trump spokesperson, resorts to calling the Epstein saga “just another Washington hoax,” refusing to clarify what exactly is the supposed hoax. (59:33–60:21)
• Bizarre vignette: Trump reportedly sprays perfume on the Syrian president and others, with Levitt explaining, “He's just showing off his wonderful scents. He's very generous.” (61:26–61:57)
• Interlude about Levitt’s marriage, which Pakman notes with deadpan incredulity only matters insofar as she is the “public face of dishonesty.” (62:40–62:56)

Notable Quotes & Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• [04:10] Pam Bondi: "We will continue to follow the law with maximum transparency while protecting victims."
• [07:48] David Pakman: “That is the key line. We now have a pending investigation in the Southern District of New York… They are never going to stop coming up with ways to prevent the full and robust release of these files.”
• [24:04] Rep. James Comer: "If there’s no Epstein list… we’ll have to construct our own."
• [44:44] Marjorie Taylor Greene: “Watching this actually turn into a fight has ripped MAGA apart… The American people won't tolerate any other bullshit.”
• [41:04] David Pakman: “When men ask Trump confrontational questions, he gets snippy. When it’s a woman, he flips a switch and goes into red-face toddler mode… This is not just misogyny. It’s insecurity. It is fear.”
• [57:36] Donald Trump: “He [MBS] is the most distinguished gentleman. He’s my friend… Thank you, Mohammed, I appreciate it.”
• [59:33] Caroline Levitt (paraphrased): "The Epstein stuff is just another Washington hoax… the president wants to focus on real issues."

Key Timestamps for Segments

• Epstein Investigations & DOJ Press Conference: 00:00–13:00
• Dissecting Republican Narrative Spin: 24:00–28:45
• Internal MAGA Fracture & Marjorie Taylor Greene: 44:29–46:02
• Poll Analysis and Political Implications: 18:00–23:00
• Fox News Interview Fact-Checks: 30:20–35:21
• Trump’s Press Meltdowns: 38:35–41:04
• Trump’s Autocrat Praise & Falsehoods: 53:04–58:29
• Caroline Levitt on Perfume & Personal Life: 59:33–62:56

Conclusion

This episode is a sweeping indictment of the Trump administration’s stonewalling and political games around the Epstein files, set amid an accelerating collapse of Trump’s influence on his own base and party. Through pointed analysis, abundant media clips, and sharp fact-checking, Pakman delivers a warning: the gamesmanship around transparency, justice, and truth-telling is catching up with Trump, as new cracks appear in the once-ironclad MAGA coalition. The real battlefield is not just over a closed investigation or a sealed cache of files—but the unraveling of fear, loyalty, and consequence in authoritarian politics.

For more detail and to support the show’s ongoing charity drive, Pakman directs listeners to joinpakman.com and davidpakman.com/fundraiser.