The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Episode: How the Epstein Files Are Forcing a Reckoning with Power

Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Tyler Foggatt
Guest: Joshua Rothman, Staff Writer at The New Yorker

Episode Overview

This episode explores the enormous societal impact of the Epstein files' ongoing release and how they have amplified public distrust in institutions and intensified conspiratorial thinking. Host Tyler Foggatt and New Yorker staff writer Joshua Rothman examine the unique nature of the Epstein scandal, the unprecedented transparency (and chaos) it has brought, and the political fallout. The conversation delves into why so many people are obsessed with the files, whether this kind of “reckoning with power” is resolving anything, and what it says about the current American mindset regarding the elite and institutional trust.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Ubiquity of the Epstein Files in Public Discourse

• Context: The scandal has penetrated all layers of society—everyone from parents at sporting events to journalists is talking about it.

• Joshua Rothman:

  "Every single parent at my kids sports events, everyone is talking about it...There's a spectrum where like no one is minimizing the scandal...the full spectrum is represented, which I think is extremely notable." (01:12–02:11)

• Overwhelming Information: Never before have ordinary people had such direct access to sensitive primary source material concerning a scandal of this magnitude, resulting in both empowerment and confusion.

Redefining Conspiracy and Skepticism

• Distinguishing Conspiracy from Skepticism: Host and guest discuss whether being suspicious of the Epstein files' content and the process amounts to “conspiracy theorizing.”

  "The heart of the Epstein scandal is how much is unknown...It’s reasonable to feel that this was under prosecuted and underinvestigated." (Joshua Rothman, 05:11)
  "With the Epstein story...the government has released millions of documents that just raise all sorts of questions...there are many more questions that people have than there are answers." (Joshua Rothman, 05:11–06:18)

• Epstein’s Real-Life Conspiratorial Activity: Unlike unfounded conspiracy theories (e.g., moon landing hoax), with Epstein, there is verifiable evidence of him creating intricate networks and deliberately cultivating secrecy and powerful connections.

The Files as a Catalyst for Wild Theories

• Background Assumptions:

  • Society now accepts that:
    • Sexual abuse is far more widespread than previously thought.
    • Wealthy and powerful individuals operate by different norms and evade consequences.

  "Before Epstein, we were forced to sort of admit that those people [powerful figures] could be different than we thought." (08:44–09:53)

• Document Dump Effects: The files contain everything from confirmed criminal activity to unprovable and outlandish claims (e.g., cannibalism), giving rise to both justified suspicion and wild speculation.

  "All these are sort of background facts...the thing that is beyond doubt is already really, really bad." (Joshua Rothman, 11:44)

Why More Info Hasn’t Led to More Trust

• Counterproductive Transparency: The steady drip of documents hasn't clarified the scandal; it has only increased suspicion and distrust:

  "It feels like it's just two steps back each time." (Tyler Foggatt, 13:21)

  • Even historic attempts at official explanation, like the 9/11 Commission, haven’t quelled conspiracy theories.

• Political Implications: The files implicate many members of the “elite” across party lines, making resolution via institutions seem impossible for many people.

  "If you believe that the world's most powerful men were part of this perverted, evil sex society, then you already believe in a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top." (Joshua Rothman, 13:53–15:42)

The Chaos of the Files’ Release

• Accountability vs. Failure: Was the document dump an act of accountability, or did it only highlight government failure?

  "If the justice system were working properly, then the public wouldn't have to access these files and people would actually trust the government..." (Tyler Foggatt, 18:00) "The way in which these documents have been released has created chaos and been uniquely uninformative." (Joshua Rothman, 19:34)

• Myth of “The List”: The much-hyped “Epstein list” was more a product of supposition than reality, further feeding the cycle of rumor and speculation.

• Obfuscation by Overwhelm: Instead of bringing clarity, the release pulled focus away from core, provable abuses and toward fringe, unprovable ideas.

  "There’s a flattening effect...these hypothetical crimes have as much, if not more, sort of mind share than the crimes that we suspect really happened." (Joshua Rothman, 20:46)

The Role of Media Literacy and Social Media

• Fragmented Info Ecosystem: Online forums and social media amplify fragments or manipulated snippets from the files, making it hard for people to distinguish between confirmed facts and falsehoods.

  "We don't know at any given time what to make of just this little shard of information that's being presented to us in a subreddit....Nobody really sees 3 million files." (Joshua Rothman, 23:25)

• Ambiguity of Association: Because many names appear in the files for various innocuous or ambiguous reasons, the public is left to imagine connections not necessarily supported by evidence.

Political Weaponization

• “Epstein Class” Rhetoric: Democrats are now seizing on populist, anti-elite language (once used by Republicans and Trump) by coining terms like "Epstein class" to attack political opponents, despite the issue cutting across partisan lines.

  "The implication that like the ruling class of the world is sex predators is like a really destructive implication. But...we’ve come from...scandals that have shown...at the top of the entertainment industry...the Catholic Church...the idea that the institution of the global power elite...could be transposed over to this world...does not feel profoundly far fetched." (Joshua Rothman, 27:32–31:11)

The Enduring Lack of Closure

• Persistent Questions: Attempts at closure (more files, new commissions, etc.) are unlikely to quell suspicion, especially on issues such as Epstein's death, alleged intelligence connections, and more.

  "At least it seems like most Americans don't perceive as happened [an authoritative account]. They're basically unsatisfied..." (Joshua Rothman, 31:39–34:21)

• Multiplicity of Scandals: There are multiple “Epstein scandals”—from the specifics of trafficking to broader suspicions of elite collusion—and not all are resolvable by official statements or evidence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the all-consuming fascination:

  "I can't recall a time in my life when it's been possible for ordinary people to wade through the evidence of something like this...the questions just seem to pile up."
  — Joshua Rothman (01:51)

• On the difference from other conspiracy theories:

  "With the Epstein story, it’s actually the reverse. It’s actually that the government has released millions of documents that just raise all sorts of questions. None of the questions have been answered."
  — Joshua Rothman (06:30)

• On the enduring ambiguity and suspicion:

  "Because there are millions of documents...and millions more to be like fabricated by AI based Epstein email generators or whatever into the future, it doesn't seem likely that those...questions will be resolved anytime soon."
  — Joshua Rothman (37:09)

• On political co-option:

  "The idea that the institution of the global power elite...could be transposed over to this world of powerful men, to many people does not feel profoundly far fetched...It's like you accepted already that this could be true about all these other groups of people. So why not this group of people?"
  — Joshua Rothman (29:57)

Important Timestamps

• 01:12–03:27: Rothman describes the spectrum of public belief, from healthy skepticism to outlandish certainty and the overwhelming amount of evidence.
• 05:11–08:15: Discussion on what makes the Epstein scandal fundamentally different from classic conspiracy theories.
• 13:21–15:42: The files’ perpetual release is fostering, not resolving, suspicion and how the breadth of implicated elites makes closure nearly impossible.
• 18:00–22:44: Debate over whether the release of the files helps or harms public trust; the origins of “the list” myth; concern over effects of overwhelming information.
• 23:25–26:08: Media literacy, the viral spread of fragments of information, and the ambiguity around names in the files.
• 27:03–31:11: How Democrats and Republicans are trying to weaponize the scandal, and populist anti-elite currents.
• 34:45–38:14: Multiple “Epstein scandals,” the challenges for truth-seeking, and why some mysteries (like Epstein’s death or alleged intelligence ties) will likely never be closed.

Takeaways

• The Epstein files have fostered a new era of public mistrust—not just in government or the justice system, but in information itself.
• The volume and form of transparency (a document dump) have paradoxically undermined clarity and legitimacy.
• The situation is now part of a larger narrative about elite unaccountability and institutional decay, cutting across political lines.
• No single authoritative statement—or even credible official probe—is likely to answer all the questions or quell the suspicions now at play.

For further reading:
Joshua Rothman’s piece, "Are We Living in the Age of Epstein?" at newyorker.com