Podcast Summary: The Jim Acosta Show

Episode: House Passes Epstein Files Bill with Charlie Sykes and Olivia Troye, plus Karen Attiah on Saudi Royals with Trump

Date: November 18, 2025

Overview

On this episode, Jim Acosta breaks down a historic and chaotic day in Washington after the House of Representatives passed a bill—nearly unanimously—to release the Epstein files, marking a stunning defeat for Donald Trump, who had fought to keep them sealed. Acosta is joined by political commentators Charlie Sykes and Olivia Troye, plus former Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah. Together, they discuss the political fallout from the vote, the survivors' fight for justice, Trump’s unraveling public conduct, and the moral consequences of Trump's meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, especially in the context of the Jamal Khashoggi murder.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. House Passes Bill to Release Epstein Files

• [00:00–04:45]
  • Nearly unanimous House vote (one GOP dissenter: Clay Higgins); bill moves to the Senate with uncertain future.
  • Survivor advocacy: 14 Epstein survivors appeared at the Capitol pressing for the bill’s passage.
  • Trump’s efforts to block the bill included bullying allies and Congressional members in the Situation Room.
  • Charlie Sykes: “It is a humiliating defeat for Donald Trump...his toolbox of intimidation has failed.” [01:18]
  • Olivia Troye: “I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time...it showed the power of when you actually stand up to Donald Trump, you can actually have power.” [03:09]
  • MAGA figures Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie, and Lauren Boebert led the rebellion, standing with the survivors and against Trump’s wishes.

2. Survivors’ Voices and MAGA’s Betrayal

• [04:45–06:39, 61:43–64:50]
  • Jenalisa Jones (survivor) expresses heartbreak:
    • “I voted for you. But your behavior on this issue has been a national embarrassment.” [05:19]
    • “It is a broken promise.” [06:09]
    • “He has to be trying to protect other people or doesn’t want something to come out.” [06:18]
  • Survivors speak of feeling betrayed after having supported Trump, who campaigned on exposing the Epstein network.
  • Epstein survivor statement (later, echoing resolve):
    • “This fight belongs to us. We lived it, and we know the truth. And we will not wait quietly for institutions to decide when we're allowed to speak.” [61:54]

3. Political Fallout: MAGA In-Fighting

• [08:06–13:15]
  • Marjorie Taylor Greene:
    • “I was called a traitor by a man that I fought for five, no, actually six years for. And I gave him my loyalty for free…” [08:21]
    • Rebukes Trump, redefines patriotism as standing with survivors.
  • Trump’s spiraling: Publicly insulted Marjorie Taylor Greene, attempted to strong-arm his allies, but faced a MAGA-led uprising.
  • Charlie Sykes: “It is because she is speaking the MAGA language…if somebody is more MAGA than they are, that they understand that as, as the threat.” [11:41]

4. Underlying Motives—Theories on Trump’s Resistance

• [13:15–19:34]
  • Acosta references an April 2011 email from Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell about “Donald Trump is the dog that hasn’t barked.”
  • Speculation centers on whether Trump is protecting himself or powerful associates, as survivors and lawmakers suggest.
  • Olivia Troye: “If you were completely innocent, he would have thrown everything out already.” [14:41]
  • Charlie Sykes disputes idea that Trump shields others: “The man is not loyal to anybody.” [18:05]

5. Institutional Failures and the Fight for Accountability

• [19:33–21:38, 26:01–28:19]
  • Discussion on systemic coverups, the protection of the ultra-wealthy, and institutional rot.
  • Survivors empowered to challenge Congressional foot-dragging.
  • Massie, Greene, and others carefully frame criticism to both back the victims and avoid direct accusations until Trump signs the bill.

6. Doubt and Skepticism on Transparency

• [20:51–24:30, 25:11–26:40]
  • Deep suspicion (Olivia/Tara Palmieri/Acosta) that any files released will be heavily redacted, or the release will be skirted via legal/“national security” pretexts.
  • Johnson, Thune, and GOP leaders seen as laying groundwork to “protect the victims” as a potential excuse for redactions or delays in Senate.

7. Trump’s Unraveling Conduct On Display

• [11:02–12:12, 51:51–58:49]
  • Multiple incidents:
    • Called Marjorie Taylor Greene a traitor.
    • On Air Force One, called Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucy “Piggy” when pressed about Epstein (audio played) [52:20].
  • Jim Acosta: “Donald Trump, you’re the pig…You have a problem, you obviously have a problem with very abusive behavior towards women. And it’s sickening.” [52:03]
  • Observers agree: these outbursts signal panic and loss of control amid mounting scandals.

8. Saudi Royals, Trump, and the Jamal Khashoggi Affair

• [29:41–50:28]
  • Trump meets Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at White House, deflects questions about Khashoggi’s murder—“Things happen.”
  • Olivia Troye: “That was a pretty heinous moment in the Oval Office…Trump dismissing U.S. intelligence…to protect a murderer.” [29:41]
  • Saudi officials and Trump offer revisionist accounts; Acosta and guests call it “propaganda” and “global thuggery.”
  • Charlie Sykes: Draws parallels to Trump’s admiration for autocrats and history of throwing the U.S. intelligence community “under the bus.” [30:46]
  • Karen Attiah (Khashoggi’s colleague) describes deep personal pain, saying “...seeing that blood red carpet, like Muhammad bin Salman stepping out onto this red carpet. All I could think of was the blood on his hands, the blood on the White House’s hands of Jamal.” [39:29]
  • Attiah links Khashoggi’s fate to Trump-Saudi ties, warns of U.S. press freedom eroding.

9. The Survivors' Voices

• [61:54–64:50]
  • Several survivors and advocates speak movingly about their experiences as children and their ongoing trauma, highlighting the urgency for justice and transparency.
  • Quotes/Statements:
    • “This fight belongs to us. We lived it, and we know the truth. And we will not wait quietly for institutions to decide when we're allowed to speak.” [61:54]
    • “I was only 14 when I first encountered Jeffrey Epstein. And my daughter is now almost at that age.” [62:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Charlie Sykes:

  • “It is a humiliating defeat for Donald Trump...his toolbox of intimidation has failed.” [01:18]
  • “When has Donald Trump ever been the guy that would fall on his sword to protect anyone…The man is not loyal to anybody.” [18:05]
  • “This feels like…the boulder rolling down the hill. The smart political move for Republicans is get the hell out of the way.” [26:40]

• Olivia Troye:

  • “I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time…when you actually stand up to Donald Trump, you can actually have power.” [03:09]
  • “If you were completely innocent, he would have thrown everything out already.” [14:41]
  • “That was a pretty heinous moment in the Oval Office...Trump dismissing U.S. intelligence...to protect a murderer.” [29:41]

• Marjorie Taylor Greene:

  • “I was called a traitor by a man that I fought for five, no, actually six years for. And I gave him my loyalty for free.” [08:21]
  • “A traitor is an American that serves foreign countries and themselves. A patriot is an American that serves the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind me.” [08:21]

• Epstein Survivor (Jenalisa Jones?):

  • “I voted for you. But your behavior on this issue has been a national embarrassment.” [05:19]
  • “It is a broken promise.” [06:09]
  • “This fight belongs to us. We lived it, and we know the truth. And we will not wait quietly for institutions to decide when we're allowed to speak.” [61:54]

• Karen Attiah:

  • “All I could think of was the blood on his hands, the blood on the White House’s hands of Jamal.” [39:29]
  • “There is something about the fact that I think now, seven years later, we can see that democracy or freedom of the press, our ability to speak is something that we can't take for granted at all.” [48:43]

• Jim Acosta:

  • “Donald Trump, you’re the pig. You’re the pig. Referring to a journalist...should not be addressed as piggy. On of all places, Air Force One.” [52:03]
  • “We are not going to forget Jamal Khashoggi. Mohammed bin Salman. I’m sorry, Mr. Crown Prince. This is America. We don’t have kings and princes here. There is no royal family. We don’t do that here.” [58:49]

Important Timestamps

| Segment | Speaker(s) | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|--------------------------|----------------| | House passes Epstein files bill | Acosta, Sykes, Troy | 00:00–04:45 | | Survivor’s testimony (Jenalisa Jones) | Survivor, Acosta | 05:19–06:39, 61:54 | | Marjorie Taylor Greene's speech | Marjorie Taylor Greene | 08:21–09:37 | | MAGA backlash and Trump’s tactics | Acosta, Sykes, Troye | 11:02–14:41 | | Discussion of Epstein email (Trump the “dog”)| Acosta | 13:15–15:52 | | Debate over release motives | Sykes, Troye, Acosta | 18:05–20:51 | | Johnson/Thune defense and Senate outlook | Johnson, Acosta, Sykes | 25:11–26:07 | | Saudi Royals, Khashoggi at the White House | Acosta, Troye, Sykes, Attiah | 29:41–50:28 | | Air Force One “Piggy” incident | Acosta, C. Lucy, Sykes | 51:51–52:20 | | Survivors’ closing statements | Troy, survivor, Attiah | 61:43–64:50 |

Concluding Tone and Takeaways

• The episode underscores a seismic power shift, with survivors and unlikely bipartisan alliances pressuring Congress and even hardline Trump loyalists to defy the former president.
• Trump’s rhetoric and panicked attacks on female reporters reveal political desperation as the Epstein controversy deepens.
• Acosta, Troye, Sykes, and Attiah collectively frame the pursuit of truth and justice as imperative—not just for survivors of Epstein, but as a test for American institutions, press freedom, and democratic values in the face of corruption and authoritarianism.

This summary reflects the spirit, urgency, and pointed language of the episode and its contributors. For listeners or readers, it captures the heart of a watershed day in U.S. politics, as well as the personal and political stakes in two interlinked controversies: the Epstein files and U.S. complicity with the Saudi regime.