The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Episode 3585 - SCOTUS Torpedoes Tariffs; Epstein's Billionaire Rolodex

Guest(s): Ryan Grim, Wren Woodson, Mabel Cabani

Date: February 20, 2026

Overview

In this engaging and expansive episode, Emma Vigeland (in for Sam Seder) hosts a dynamic conversation about the week’s major political stories, focusing primarily on the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning much of Trump’s tariff regime, the troubling overlap of elite impunity and intelligence ties in Jeffrey Epstein’s network, and investigative journalism’s shifting landscape under media consolidation and censorship. Guests include Ryan Grim (Dropsite News), alongside Wren Woodson and Mabel Cabani (News Girls podcast). The episode dives deep into Supreme Court activism, the vast scope of the Epstein files, erosion of institutional trust, elite unaccountability, and the struggles of legacy newsrooms in the current era.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Major Headlines: SCOTUS Strikes Down Trump’s Emergency Tariffs

• [07:06] Breaking News Segment

  • SCOTUS ruled that Trump’s sweeping emergency tariffs violate statutory limits, enacting the “major questions doctrine” to curtail presidential authority.
  • The right-wing Court curiously split against Trump for arguably the first time in his second term, mainly as a reaction to economic impacts. John Roberts wrote the key opinion, joined by liberals and conservative Justices Gorsuch and Barrett.
  • Emma Vigeland:

    “This is really the first time this right-wing Supreme Court has ruled against Trump specifically… and of course it’s because the economy is impacted.” (08:04)

  • Doctrine Context: The "major questions doctrine" replaces the previous Chevron deference standard, giving the Court greater leeway to override executive agencies on "major" issues. Libs on the Court did not join that rationale, maintaining wariness of this open-ended judicial power.
    • Notable Quote:

      “I always hate it when people try to conscript me into the major questions camp.” – Ryan Grim (11:55)

  • Practical Impact: The ruling vacates $170 billion out of $200 billion in tariffs. Notably, Canada-related tariffs (steel, aluminum, lumber) remain unaffected.

• [14:37] Political Economic Analysis

  • Matt:

    “In a better world, tariffs are a tool in the toolbox that should be used consciously… but Trump has completely made that a stupid conversation.”

  • The Court punted on whether importers can recover tariff payments; lower courts to decide.

• [15:00+] Cronyism Highlight

  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (formerly of Cantor Fitzgerald, who now controls Rumble) poised to benefit: his sons’ company is positioned to profit from potential tariff refunds—a revolving-door example.
  • Emma:

    “He is such a, like, snake. I almost respect it… he does it with a smile and you almost believe him.” (16:53)

2. Guest Interview: Ryan Grim on The Epstein Files, Israel Ties, & Independent Media

[23:57–65:01]

a. Epstein's Web and Intelligence Connections

• [24:58] Israeli surveillance in Epstein apartments: Dropsite’s investigative reporting (Grim & Murtaza Hussain) reveals the Israeli government installed security systems in at least one Epstein-owned NY apartment (functionally for Ehud Barak's use, requiring consulate background checks and guest clearances).
  • Ryan Grim:

    “Any guests who wanted to come over, you had to clear them with the Israeli government ahead of time… This was Jeffrey Epstein’s apartment. So it’s like, it’s kind of interesting anyway.” (25:36)

  • Indicates “an enormous amount of awareness by the Israeli government who Jeffrey Epstein is and what the relationship was with him.”
• [28:22] Ownership Structure: Property legally owned by Mark Epstein but controlled by Jeffrey; served as a hospitality outpost for international power players.
• [30:15] Netanyahu’s denials debunked: Netanyahu personally approved surveillance; tries to distance Israel by blaming Barak (domestic rival). Ironies and contradictions abound.
• [32:03] Zionist racial politics: Barak’s conversations with Summers and Epstein reveal demographic engineering, ethnic/racial hierarchies, and attempts to manage Israeli identity politics for political gain—reinforcing elitist and supremacist ideologies.
• [34:10] Epstein’s ideology: Explicit Jewish supremacist views—wanted to work with “more purely Jewish” people, tying into his broader ambitions and the company he kept.
• [35:34] Media coverage gap: US mainstream media focuses on Russian ties (“Morning Joe types”), barely addressing documented Israeli intelligence links.
  • Ryan Grim:

    “So trying to explain all that without mentioning Israel just contorts people into these weird knots.” (36:39)

• [37:56] Independent media vs. mainstream: A “chasm” exists between in-depth online reporting and sanitized mainstream coverage. Younger audiences are bypassing legacy outlets for the truth.
  • Emma:

    “It’s actually quite striking. I don’t know if I can think of a story… where there is such an enormous gap in understanding and honest reporting…” (37:56)

b. Institutional Trust & Public Opinion

• Comparison to the COVID-19 lab leak debate: public beliefs now often diverge sharply from legacy media narratives, with independent media helping form consensus against elite gatekeeping.
• [39:54] Epstein as a pop culture reference: Even middle schoolers discuss whether Epstein is “alive in Israel.” The story has transcended normal media control, symbolizing eroded institutional faith.

c. Gaza “Reconstruction” and the Board of Peace

• [43:43] Gaza Scheme: Trump’s administration, via son-in-law Jared Kushner, launches a multi-billion dollar purported reconstruction plan for Gaza, involving military bases and an “international stabilization force.”
  • The underlying purpose: undercut UN and legitimize occupation/cleansing via pseudo-development (e.g., building casinos, hotels, massive military infrastructure).
  • Ryan Grim:

    “It’s almost hereditary… he runs this Board of Peace. He’s now supposedly extracted $7 billion from a handful of countries… To go to allegedly towards Gaza reconstruction. He’s saying that the US is going to put in $10 billion. … Actually, I’m just gonna take $10 billion and send it to myself over at the Board of Peace.” (42:48)

  • Emma:

    “[The plan] is also an evidence destruction operation. They want to hide the bodies and the skulls cuz it’s in the hundreds of thousands in true death toll.” (43:43)

d. APAC, Elections & Campaign Money

• [49:31] Jan Schakowski withdraws endorsement: The Congresswoman retracts her support for Donna Miller over APAC money—an earthquake in Chicago area Democratic politics.
  • Ryan Grim:

    “For her to publicly withdraw… explicitly say she was doing it because of Miller’s alliance with AIPAC is kind of a seismic moment electorally…” (50:12)

  • Dark money PACs (e.g., “Elect Chicago Women”) disguise funders and real policy intentions, further eroding electoral transparency.
  • Emma:

    “Pharmaceutical ads have way more disclosures about side effects. You shouldn’t be able to create a pop up super PAC and conceal that it’s actually a PAC.” (54:37)

e. US Bombings in the Caribbean and Legal Fictions

• [56:53] Unchecked Executive War Powers: The US is striking “drug boats” in the Caribbean/Pacific with minimal evidence or Congressional authorization.
  • Legal justification (Maduro regime as terrorist) no longer coherent; rationale has “completely evaporated.”
  • Ryan Grim:

    “Killing takes on its own momentum. Hegseth and Trump are like… bloodthirsty people. There’s no other really explanation for it.” (60:37)

  • Administration is emboldened by Congressional inaction and institutional impotence, reflecting broader impunity at the elite level.

3. The News Girls: Inside CBS & Digging into Epstein’s Billionaire Rolodex

[66:24–94:55]

a. CBS's Transformation under Barry Weiss

• [66:50] Ren & Mabel (ex-CBS/60 Minutes): Described the chilling impact of CBS’s rightward, pro-Israel lurch under Barry Weiss, stifling journalistic freedom, pushing out veteran reporters, and promoting loyalists.
  • Ren:

    “Their freedom is like being kind of stripped away. So it’s really sad.” (66:50)

  • Barry Weiss’s protection of health guru Peter Attia (linked in emails to Epstein) and attempts to oust respected correspondents (Anderson Cooper cited as leaving partially in protest).
  • Ren:

    “Tony Dokoupil is such an embarrassment at this point… being promoted, he’s kind of sold out to this, their new ethos… a both sides issue…” (71:18)

b. Trump’s PR on Epstein/Prince Andrew

• [73:22] Trump’s response: Expresses sadness—not for victims, but for “the Royal Family” over Andrew’s arrest, repeatedly citing his own “total exoneration.”
  • Emma:

    “He’s almost a savant… His political talent is his PR savant… not expressing sadness for the victims… but reflexively expressing sadness for the Royal Family.” (74:27)

  • Mabel:

    “Anyone that’s being persecuted… for the Epstein files, he just finds an immediate ally.”

c. Epstein’s Modeling/Pageant Pipeline

• [76:38] Survivor Interview Insight: Beatrice Kewell, a victim lured via Trump’s pageant, details attempted assault by Trump, persistent predation by Epstein (who was notably not charming).
  • Ren:

    “At that same pageant, Epstein was also there on the prowl… asking her to come to Mar-a-Lago… she just kept saying no, no, no, but he kept pushing…” (78:39)

  • Modeling agencies and pageants served as trafficking vehicles, including for underage girls (e.g., MC2 Models run by Jean-Luc Brunel).

d. The Extent of Epstein’s Billionaire Network

• [82:37] 25 Billionaires in Latest Files:
  • Ren:

    “That’s almost 1% of the world’s billionaires… for who Epstein socialized with, but yeah, it was 25 other billionaires.”

  • Examples: Leon Black (Shutterfly–class picture boycott), Glenn & Eva Dubin (inviting Epstein post-conviction to gatherings with minors), and ties to elite Democratic donors.
  • Dubins facilitated Epstein's access to hospital resources (Mount Sinai), affecting both institutional accountability and victim care.

e. Transhumanism, Philanthropy, and Elite Privilege

• [87:16] Harvard, Eugenics, and Transhumanism: Epstein used donations for access, became close to evolutionary scientists, and promoted eugenics/“transhumanist” ideologies.
  • Ren:

    “He thought he had… superior seed… wanted to impregnate up to 20 women at a time at his New Mexico ranch.” (87:48)

  • Mabel:

    “He was really close to the Nobel Peace Prize committee… leveraging those contacts…”

f. The CBS 60 Minutes Epstein Story

• [89:32] Inside the Epstein corpse investigation:
  • Mabel:

    “We had just like hundreds of naked pictures of Epstein… we need to address this conspiracy…” (90:38)

  • All evidence (rope trauma, lack of defensive wounds, prior suicide watch) points to suicide, but surrounding “missing tapes” and guards' conduct remain highly suspicious.
  • Mabel:

    “The circumstances… are suspicious… how was he allowed to do that?…” (92:48)

Memorable Quotes

• Emma Vigeland:

  “That is what the convenient excuse is for the elites that are implicated in this, is that Epstein was just so charming—but it doesn’t seem to be the case.” (79:31)

• Ryan Grim:

  “Killing takes on its own momentum. Hegseth and Trump are like… bloodthirsty people. There’s no other really explanation for it.” (60:37)

• Ren Woodson:

  “He thought the rules did not apply to him… [after his first arrest,] why would he think this time would be any different?” (93:58)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [07:06] Breaking: Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs
• [11:27] Nerdy Friction: Kagan vs. Gorsuch on “Major Questions”
• [14:19] Trump & Tariffs: Practical Implications
• [16:52] Crony Rebates: Lutnick & Cantor Fitzgerald
• [24:58] Ryan Grim on Dropsite’s Israeli Surveillance Exposé
• [32:03] Zionist Demographics and Coalition Politics
• [35:34] Media Distortion of Epstein-Intelligence Nexus
• [43:43] “Board of Peace” & Gaza “Reconstruction” Critique
• [49:31] Jan Schakowski Withdraws Endorsement (Dark Money/PACs)
• [56:53] US Killings in Caribbean, Vaporized Justifications
• [66:50] CBS’s Shift under Barry Weiss—Insider Perspectives
• [73:22] Trump’s Reaction to Prince Andrew Arrest
• [76:38] Survivor Account: Epstein & Trump at Pageants
• [82:37] Billionaire Count: 25 in Latest Epstein Files
• [87:16] Harvard, Eugenics & Philanthropy for Power
• [89:32] The 60 Minutes Epstein Death Investigation

Tone & Atmosphere

The show blends sharp irreverence and dark humor with deep policy and investigative detail, capturing both the absurdity and the stakes of elite impunity, judicial activism, and corruption. The guests and hosts speak candidly, often mocking the “nothing to see here” official lines, and approach the subjects with open skepticism and concrete reporting.

For Listeners: Takeaway

This episode dissects the multipronged assaults on democracy—via the unchecked supremacy of both courts and oligarchs, the manipulations of campaign finance, and the impunity of the billionaire class as exposed by the ever-widening Epstein scandal. Supreme Court decisions echo far beyond the legal sphere, and the struggle to understand the intertwined worlds of political power, intelligence, and unaccountable elites demands both critical media consumption and support for independent journalism.