The Morning Edition

Abuse claims against Trump in the missing Epstein files: will it bring him down?

Date: March 2, 2026
Host: Samantha Selinger-Morris (SMH, The Age)
Guest: Amelia Lester, Deputy Editor, Foreign Policy Magazine

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the explosive revelation that the US Department of Justice withheld FBI interview notes of a woman who accused former President Donald Trump of sexual abuse during her teenage years, as part of the ongoing investigation into the Epstein files. The conversation explores the content and credibility of these unpublished documents, debates around government transparency, the potential political fallout for Trump, and the broader context of American politics during a period of military conflict.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Background of the Epstein Files and Allegations Against Trump

• Recap of Events: Recently, more than 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes were found to be missing from the public release of Epstein files. These missing pages reportedly include allegations from a woman claiming Trump and Epstein abused her in her early teens.

  • "An investigation revealed that the Department of Justice withheld more than 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes from conversations with a woman who accused Donald Trump of sexual abuse decades ago when she was between the ages of 13 and 15." (00:08, Samantha Selinger-Morris)

• Clarification of Document Types: Amelia Lester notes the confusion generated by an initial release of the files, which included unsubstantiated tips, compared to the more recent, specific allegations.

  • "In the original tranche of documents... there was a set of tips that came into an FBI hotline after Epstein was arrested which were completely unsubstantiated... But what we have subsequently discovered... is a set of allegations which come from a woman who says that she was sexually assaulted by Epstein and Trump as a minor." (01:11, Amelia Lester)

• Details About the Missing Interviews: Four FBI interviews were conducted with the accuser; only one (which excludes allegations against Trump) has been released. The existence of missing interviews was revealed through document indexing.

  • "There were four interviews that the FBI did with her, but only one... was released. And guess what? It was the interview summary about the Epstein accusation, not the Trump accusations." (02:06, Amelia Lester)

On the Credibility and Timing of Allegations

• Assessment of Credibility: The guest stresses the allegations remain unproven and outlines the timeline, including the late reporting by the alleged victim due to not knowing Epstein's identity until 2019.

  • "I think we can't say one way or the other whether they're credible... this woman... didn't know who Epstein was until she saw a photo of him after he was arrested." (02:46, Amelia Lester)

• Political Maneuvering and Obstruction: Discussion of whether documents were withheld to shield Trump and if there's a larger government cover-up, as some Congressional Democrats claim.

  • "The theme throughout has been, we don't want to show you what's in these files." (05:25, Amelia Lester)
  • "Whatever we find out, whatever the ground truth is, it's very clear that they haven't been straightforward, they haven't been transparent, they haven't been honest." (05:38, Unattributed Democratic view)

Trump's Campaign Promises vs. Reality

• Trump’s Stance on File Release: While his allies and surrogates campaigned on a promise to release Epstein-related files, Trump himself was cautious or evasive about it.

  • "He never actually promised to release the files himself... it was essentially his proxies around him that pushed this idea." (06:23, Amelia Lester)
  • "When directly asked about it... he would say, yeah, I’ll think about it. But he was never the one out there saying, I want to publish these files." (06:31, Amelia Lester)

• Trump’s Relationship with Epstein: Questions about the nature and end of their 15-year friendship, including mysterious correspondence.

  • "The Wall Street Journal last year released a birthday card that Trump wrote to Epstein in 2003 that was very mysterious. It said, 'we have certain things in common, Jeffrey. Enigmas never age. May every day be another wonderful secret.'" (07:56, Amelia Lester)

Political Ramifications for Trump

• Democratic and Republican Responses: Both sides are pressuring for file releases. There is bipartisan interest due to public skepticism and ongoing investigations.

  • "Marjorie Taylor Greene has been really disenchanted by how this administration has handled the Epstein situation, and she was a big Trump supporter ahead of the 2024 election." (13:47, Amelia Lester)

• Potential Impact on Trump’s Popularity and Midterms:

  • Trump's unpopularity is currently very high, but it is unclear if the Epstein files contribute significantly compared to economic hardship or the ongoing war with Iran.
  • "Trump is very unpopular right now. In fact, he's as unpopular as he was after January 6th. But it's unclear whether that's as a result of the Epstein files or whether it's because people are feeling an economic pinch." (08:44, Amelia Lester)

War with Iran and Potential Distraction

• Coinciding Events: The revelation about the Epstein files coincides with Trump's military action against Iran.

  • "Some people have speculated that his strike on Iran... might have been in part to deflect from the Epstein files yet again." (09:38, Samantha Selinger-Morris)

• Guest’s Take on Timing: Lester believes that while the conspiracy is tempting, the longstanding desire among Trump’s advisors for action against Iran probably explains it.

  • "The neocons that actually have wound up surrounding Trump... have been wanting to bomb Iran for two decades now." (09:55, Amelia Lester)

• Public Reaction: The war is highly unpopular; polling suggests only about 20% of Americans supported it.

  • "The war is very unpopular. It seems... only about 20% of Americans really wanted this war to happen." (11:52, Amelia Lester)

Systemic Issues in Epstein Investigation

• Power, Money, and the Opaqueness of the Files: Both parties are implicated in the Epstein network; lack of transparency may be due to how deeply powerful figures are entrenched.

  • "The only thing that the men in these files have in common is that they all had a great deal of either power or money or both." (13:52, Amelia Lester)
  • "There are a lot of powerful interests who don't want us to understand the full extent of it." (14:35, Amelia Lester)

• Mismanagement and Intentional Confusion: DOJ's handling of the files has been messily organized, possibly as a smokescreen.

  • "They have made no attempt to file or classify them in a way that is useful for the public... if you make the whole thing look like a mess, it's very hard to pull anything meaningful out of it." (15:55, Amelia Lester)

Notable Quotes

• On the cover-up and file release:
  • "I think that's a strategy, because if you make the whole thing look like a mess, it's very hard to pull anything meaningful out of it." (15:55, Amelia Lester)
• On bipartisan discomfort:
  • "The only thing that the men in these files have in common is that they all had a great deal of either power or money or both... there are a lot of powerful interests who don't want us to understand the full extent of it." (13:52, Amelia Lester)
• On the bizarre nature of events:
  • "It's just weird, right? Absolutely. And also weird, as we've discussed, has been the entire release of the Epstein files." (15:46, Samantha Selinger-Morris & Amelia Lester)
• On whether these allegations will bring Trump down:
  • "He's already been found liable in a civil court for sexual assault... So where I kind of land, ultimately is that he might feel a little embarrassed about the friendship. And that's why we've had this sort of drip, drip strategy." (16:45, Amelia Lester)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:04–01:52 – Setting the scene: Epstein files, missing documents, and new allegations
• 01:53–03:50 – Nature of allegations and document trail
• 03:51–05:51 – Claims of a cover-up and transparency issues
• 05:53–07:56 – Political risks for Trump and details on file release promises
• 07:57–11:37 – Relationship with Epstein, public perception, war with Iran, and political polling
• 13:01–16:45 – The depth of the Epstein network, bipartisan discomfort, and the prospects for future file releases
• 15:46–16:45 – DOJ’s handling and deliberate confusion
• 16:46–17:46 – Guest’s conclusion: embarrassment vs. criminality, comparison to other Trump scandals

Summary

This episode exposes the ongoing struggle for transparency in the Epstein investigation, shines a light on both the gravity of the allegations and the political calculations at play, and suggests that while the missing files deepen a sense of public mistrust, it remains uncertain whether they will ultimately have serious consequences for Trump—whose political career continues amid controversy, conflict, and a pervasive culture of secrecy and cover-up among the powerful.