Epstein Fallout: EX Prince Andrew Arrested as Trump "Sad" for Royals, no sympathy for Victims

Summary

The Tara Palmeri Show

Episode: Epstein Fallout: EX Prince Andrew Arrested as Trump "Sad" for Royals, no sympathy for Victims
Date: February 20, 2026
Host: Tara Palmeri
Guests: Michael Shear (NYT), Christy Greenberg (Legal Analyst)

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Overview

This episode of The Tara Palmeri Show explores the historic arrest of former Prince Andrew in the UK, following revelations from the Jeffrey Epstein case files. Tara Palmeri, an experienced reporter who has previously investigated the Epstein story, discusses the far-reaching consequences of the arrest for the British royal family, elite culture, and the broader question of accountability for powerful people connected to Epstein—contrasted sharply with the lack of similar action in the United States. Guests provide insight into legal implications, the public’s reaction, and the ongoing pursuit of justice for Epstein’s victims.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Arrest of Prince Andrew: Unprecedented Event

• Prince Andrew was arrested by UK authorities on suspicion of sharing confidential government information with Jeffrey Epstein—an event unprecedented in 400 years for British royalty.
• This move highlights “the lack of accountability over here in the United States” for similarly powerful figures with Epstein ties. (Host/Moderator, 00:37)
• Victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s family responded:

  "At last. Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty... For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you." (Host/Moderator, 02:40)

2. Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s Story and Impact

• Virginia’s graphic 2019 BBC testimony is replayed, describing her abuse and her nightmarish ordeal:

  “He wasn't mean or anything, but he got up and he said thanks and walked out. And I sat there in bed just horrified and ashamed and felt dirty...” (Giuffre, 01:51)

• Tara Palmeri expresses emotion at the news, highlighting years of disbelief, shaming, and legal struggles faced by Giuffre and other survivors:

  “I'm overwhelmed for her. I'm sad that she's not alive to see this. I know how hard it was for her for so many years to be dragged by the British press...” (Tara Palmeri, 05:27)

3. The Role of the Epstein Files Transparency Act

• Bipartisan pressure from Congress—especially Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna—led to the release of documents connecting Andrew to Epstein and public scrutiny not just in the UK, but also globally:

  “This was the metric I established for the success of the Epstein Files Transparency Act… Now we need justice in the United States.” (Rep. Massie, paraphrased by Host, 04:30)

• Tara notes that with millions of files still redacted or unreleased, potential accountability for many powerful men remains elusive:

  “Yet we still have two and a half million more documents that we don't know that we'll never see... Is this really about the victims?” (Tara Palmeri, 06:47)

4. Defensive Narratives from the Elite and the British Press

• A 2019 Prince Andrew interview reveals his self-presentation as “too honorable,” which the panel eviscerates as denial and self-delusion:

  “My judgment was probably colored by my tendency to be too honorable. But that's just the way it is.” (Prince Andrew, 08:45) “Only honorable. The sociopath who turns out to actually be engaged in child sex trafficking calls himself, ‘too honorable.’” (Host/Moderator, 09:49)

• The British monarchy’s “veil of protection” is described by Michael Shear, with his take on the monarchy’s preservation instinct:

  “The royal family is seemingly responsive only to catastrophic press.... All of that was essentially minimal. And I think the point that you don't want to miss here is that even this arrest... isn't for any of the acts that Virginia and the other women have alleged.” (Michael Shear, 11:57 & 13:19)

5. Legal Prospects and The Possibility for Further Justice

• Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg argues that UK and US law enforcement could leverage Andrew’s situation for further information that could implicate more conspirators:

  "They clearly felt at that time in 2019 that he had useful information for their investigations into, you know, Maxwell, into Epstein and even into potentially other coconspirators... If you cooperate... you can help us get other people.” (Christy Greenberg, 15:41 & 19:04)

• Adds that only the release of documents, and survivor advocacy, “drives this arrest” and increases pressure globally.

6. Broader Political and Cultural Fallout

• The hosts and guests discuss the stark transatlantic contrast; while accountability sweeps Europe, the US remains largely unmoved, despite overwhelming public cynicism:

  “86% of all Americans... strongly or somewhat disagree with the statement that powerful people are rarely held accountable. Only 11% of people disagree, which is probably the membership at Mar a Lago.” (Host/Moderator, 24:06)

• High-profile figures including Sultan Ahmed bin Salman, Peter Mandelson, and others resign or face prosecution in a domino effect.

7. Reaction from Donald Trump

• Trump is played as saying, repeatedly, that the arrest is “very sad” for the royals and asserts his own “totally exonerated” status.

  “I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family... but now they speak. But I'm the one that can talk about it because I've been totally exonerated. I did nothing.” (Donald Trump, 22:12)

• Tara retorts, emphasizing Trump’s focus on himself rather than victims:

  “Right now, the Epstein files are all about exonerating him, not what they're revealing to the public...” (Tara Palmeri, 23:14)

8. Structural Elitism and Public Outrage

• Both Michael Shear and Tara Palmeri frame the Epstein scandal as exposing how the world’s elite have protected each other at the expense of justice:

  “It's about the elite protecting each other. That's what people have been so frustrated about... The release of the documents... finally blows that apart.” (Michael Shear, 26:49)

• Rising public anger, as more files are released and foreign authorities pursue justice, is expected to fuel demands for US accountability:

  “There is a feeling that there is injustice and the more we see our allies abroad actually pursuing justice in this case, the more Americans are going to get angry and wondering what's happening here. This is not going to stop at their shores.” (Tara Palmeri, 31:13)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Virginia Roberts Giuffre (on Prince Andrew):

  "I just didn’t expect it from royalty. The whole entire procedure, it was disgusting. … I had to get up and grab a shower. It was a wicked time in my life." (01:51)

• Tara Palmeri (on the impact of the files):

  "We still have two and a half million more documents that we'll never see. Is this … to protect other people? Is this really about the victims?" (06:47)

• Host/Moderator (interpreting Trump’s reaction):

  "Not for nothing. Nobody asked him. But okay, Tara. He did do something, though..." (22:46)

• Christy Greenberg (on leveraging Andrew):

  “I'm certain that would be a conversation prosecutors would be open to having. Again, assuming prosecutors in this country are even interested in pursuing it, which they continue to tell us … they're not.” (19:04)

• Michael Shear (on the effect of press coverage):

  “The British newspapers are ... like a dog with a bone. ... The King acknowledged finally ... he would cooperate fully with the police if there was an arrest. That was a green light ... to cut through that veil of protection.” (11:57)

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Important Timestamps

• [01:51] Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s detailed 2019 account of abuse by Andrew
• [05:27] Tara Palmeri’s reflection on Virginia’s long battle and Andrew’s shattered credibility
• [08:45] Prince Andrew’s infamous “too honorable” defense
• [13:19] Michael Shear comparing Andrew’s arrest to Al Capone’s for tax evasion
• [15:41 & 19:04] Christy Greenberg on legal leverage and the global need for accountability
• [22:12] Donald Trump's reaction clip (“sad for the royals”)
• [23:14] Tara Palmeri on Trump’s focus on himself over the victims
• [24:06] Host on overwhelming public belief that elites avoid justice
• [26:49] Michael Shear on elite self-protection
• [31:13] Tara Palmeri on global ripple effects and expectation of rising US public anger

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Summary & Takeaway

This episode marks a major turning point in the global fallout from the Epstein scandal, with the shocking arrest of a British royal laying bare cracks in centuries-old systems of elite immunity. Palmeri and her panel highlight survivor bravery, the centrality of document transparency, and the public’s growing demand for justice—raising pointed questions about whether the US will follow suit or continue shielding its most powerful. The tone is urgent, often bracing, and deeply skeptical of elite self-policing, with a persistent call to push for full accountability.

Transcript

[Tara Palmeri]

Take the exit, turn right into the drive thru.

[Michael Shear]

Nope, I'm making dinner tonight.

[Tara Palmeri]

You don't have time.

[Commercial Announcer]

Josh has practice.

[Host/Moderator]

Oh, that's right.

[Tara Palmeri]

I'll just get a salad and fries.

[Michael Shear]

No, just the salad.

[Host/Moderator]

But salad cancels.

[Commercial Announcer]

Fries.

[Michael Shear]

Salad only.

[Tara Palmeri]

Fries. Salad, fries.

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[Tara Palmeri]

Hey, can I get the fries?

[Michael Shear]

Salad? Sorry.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Host/Moderator]

It's 4 o' clock in New York. The fallout from the revelations in the Epstein files has now led to a 1 in 400 year event. Authorities in the United Kingdom arresting former Prince Andrew early this morning. It is nothing short of a stunning moment and one that only makes the lack of accountability over here in the United States of America all the more glaring. Prince Andrew was arrested today by authorities on suspicions of public misconduct. The accusation specifically is that he shared confidential government, particularly is that he shared confidential government information with Jeffrey Epstein. This photo shows him leaving the police station just a little bit ago. There have been calls for accountability for former Prince Andrew for years now, particularly from one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent and known victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre. She had said that Epstein trafficked her to Andrew, who then raped her multiple times. Andrew has denied that and any wrongdoing in relation to his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. In 2022, he settled a lawsuit with Virginia Jeffrey for an undisclosed amount. Here's Virginia in her own words, describing what happened to her in a BBC documentary in 2019.

[Virginia Roberts Giuffre]

So Andrew drives in the other car. He's not with us, he's with his security guards. And in the car, Ghislaine tells me that I have to do for Andrew what I do for Jeffrey. And that made me sick. I just didn't expect it from royalty. The whole entire procedure, it was disgusting. He wasn't mean or anything, but he got up and he said thanks and walked out. And I sat there in bed just horrified and ashamed and felt dirty and I had to get up and grab a shower. It was a wicked time in my life. It was a really scary time in my life.

[Host/Moderator]

Today, her family is speaking out, saying this in a statement, quote, at last. Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty. On behalf of our sister, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, we extend our gratitude to the UK's Thames Valley Police for their investigation and Arrest of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He was never a prince. For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you. At news that UK authorities arrested a member of the Royal family, something that has not happened since the 17th century is crazy, but it only underscores the lack of any law enforcement activity here in this country. None. Or even the lack of any real accountability for the people whose ties to Jeffrey Epstein call into question whether they ever had the judgment to hold positions of power or influence in the first place. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie tweeted this quote, prince Andrew was just arrested. This was the metric I established for the success of the Epstein Files Transparency act that Representative Ro Khanna and I got passed. Now we need justice in the United States. It's time for AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to act. His colleague and co sponsor of the Epstein bill, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna said this quote, even princes are not above the law. Representative Thomas Massie and I forced the release of an email showing former Prince Andrew allegedly shared state information with Epstein. On February 9th, I called on King Charles to investigate and answer questions. Andrew is being held accountable because of the survivors. People like Virginia Giuffre who bravely spoke up. We've also seen Sultan Ahmed bin Salman resign from DP World, the former Norwegian Prime Minister be charged with gross corruption, Peter Mandelson be fired as ambassador and step down from the House of Lords of Katherine Ruemmmler stepped down from Goldman Sachs and other examples of accountability around the world. But why isn't more being done here? We should start with Howard Lutnick resigning. The downfall of a prince breathing new life into calls for accountability for associates of Jeffrey Epstein as high up as members of Trump's own cabinet is where we start today. Tara Palmeri is, of course here with us. She writes the red letter on Substack, has hosted two podcast series on the Epstein case. Also joining us, New York Times senior correspondent Michael Scheer, who covers British politics and culture. And joining me at the table, legal analyst Christy Greenberg is here. Tara, I know of all of us here, you are someone who, who knew Virginia and you know, the family and you knew her story. Your thoughts today?

[Tara Palmeri]

I mean, I'm overwhelmed for her. I'm sad that she's not alive to see this. I know how hard it was for her for so many years to be dragged by the British press by so many people for making, you know, allegations against then the Prince Andrew and to now see that so many of the things that he has said were lies. You know, the fact that he claimed that he cut off all contact with Epstein. Lies. Now we're seeing he was actually trading information, you know, privileged information to Jeffrey Epstein as trade envoy. This insane thing that. This insane theory he said about, oh, I can't sweat from the war in the Falcons, and. And then even denying that the picture that they had together, that it was even a real picture, and it's just his credibility has been completely shattered. Virginia is not the only survivor that I have spoken with who are members. Prince Andrew distinctly and remembers being around him. She remembered him using a puppet to grab the hands of a puppet to grab her breasts. So, you know, we're getting a much clearer picture of who Prince Andrew really is, who this man is versus the man that he claims to be. Right. And I agree with Massey and Connor that this would have never come to light without the Epstein files Transparency Act. And yet we still have two and a half million more documents that we don't know that we'll never see. And is this for national security purposes? Is this to protect other people? Is this really about the victims? Because even of the 3.5 million that we've seen, we know that they've redacted the names of powerful men. So there's still so much more, Nicole. And just to think that the few files that we have that they have caused, they. They have started a domino effect to fall. And will it hit our shores? One can only hope. But this is an amazing day for Virginia and for her family.

[Host/Moderator]

Let me. I don't want to rush over what Virginia said happened to her and what the allegations are against former Prince Andrew. So let me just show people a little bit more about what it looked like when some of the allegations started to surface. And again, against a headwind, not just of naysayers, not just of sort of the classic misogyny, but against sort of the machine around royalty. This is former Prince Andrew in 2019.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

You were staying at the house of a convicted sex offender.

[Prince Andrew]

It was a convenient place to stay. I've gone through this in my mind so many times. At the end of the day, with the benefit of all the hindsight that one could have, it was definitely the wrong thing to do. But at the time, I felt it was the honourable and right thing to do. And I admit fully that my judgment was probably colored by my tendency to be too honorable. But that's just the way it is,

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

because during that time, those few days, witnesses say they saw many young girls coming and going. At the time, there is video footage of Epstein accompanied by young girls and. And you were there staying in his

[Host/Moderator]

house, catching up with friends.

[Prince Andrew]

I never. I mean, if they were, then I wasn't a party to any of that.

[Host/Moderator]

Only honorable. The sociopath who turns out to actually be engaged in child sex trafficking calls himself, quote, too honorable. Not just honorable, but, quote, too honorable. What was his role in the abuse?

[Tara Palmeri]

I mean, as Virginia has said consistently, she was brought to the UK and told to do to Prince Andrew what she did for Jeffrey Epstein. And, like, the details that she had, what she wore. Glenn Maxwell took her shopping to go get her a Burberry outfit, which is something she remembered in detail. She remembered going to a nightclub with him and the fact that he was sweating.

[Commercial Announcer]

She.

[Tara Palmeri]

She remembered being in the bed with him, the bathtub. I mean, this is. And for so long, the way that this story has been reported was that she was a teen whore, a teen slut, that. That she had done something wrong. And. And you're right. I mean, that is the power of the royals. And she was supposed to do an interview with ABC News. And in Amy Robach's own words, I mean, she was caught on a hidden camera. She said that that was that. That interview was killed because the network wanted to maintain a relationship with the family. There is a gravitational force around the royals there. This is the first time in 400 years that a senior royal has been arrested. And that says something that is power protecting itself. But this is just. This is a line that has been crossed. But when are we going to have those lines defined in our own country?

[Host/Moderator]

Yeah, it's insane. Michael, I'm not a royal expert, I'm not a royal fan, I'm not a royal hater. But even with my lack of expertise, I would observe that the Royal family is seemingly responsive only to catastrophic press. And I wonder if you can just tell me what your reporting is. How did we get to what happened today?

[Michael Shear]

Yeah, I mean, it's a good. It's a good point. I mean, look, the media environment here is pretty rabid. We have a culture. The British newspapers are. Many of them are tabloids. They're like a dog with a bone. And I think the reaction in these last few weeks to what Tara and you have described as this onslaught of documents and revelations has been pretty relentless. And so I think there came a point in the last couple of weeks where the King acknowledged finally that in a statement that he would cooperate fully with the police if there was an arrest. I think that was a green light finally, to cut through that. That veil of protection that Tara talked about that has historically been around the royals, and I think that. But. But I think you have to go back years and understand that that veil of protection was in place. You know, Andrew was, you know, given slaps on the wrist along the way. He had his title taken away from him. He, before that, stepped away from his royal duties, but all of that was essentially minimal. And I think the point that you don't want to miss here is that in the end, even this arrest, although Virginia Giuffre's family, you know, hailed it as a. As a big moment, and it is, but even this arrest isn't for any of the acts that Virginia and the other women have alleged against him. This is a. This is like Al Capone, you know, being. Being arrested for tax evasion. I mean, it's. It's. It's a. It's a serious charge, and he could end up spending years in prison if he's evicted. But it's not. It's not what everybody thought he would ultimately be charged with.

[Host/Moderator]

What is the impact of this story and Andrew's role in a sex trafficking ring that ensnared children? I mean, does thatI guess you need to understand the baseline of how the royal family is held, what his place in it is, and whether or not this damages the brand, if you will, of the modern royals.

[Michael Shear]

I mean, I think a lot of damage has been done over the years, and I think the story, as outlined so eloquently and horrifyingly by Virginia Giuffre, I mean, the message that has been out there for more than a decade, that, that he was involved in that kind of thing, has been a real deep wound to the establishment of the royals and to the monarchy. But I think the question really becomes now, in the last few weeks, the King, Prince William, Princess Kate, have all tried desperately to distance themselves from him in every way that they could, issuing statements and the like. And so I guess ultimately the question is, if this is where. If this is the end of it, if he simply, you know, gets charged with, you know, this. This, you know, documents offense and doesn't get charged ultimately with anything more, how bad will that be? I mean, I think. I think, you know, the monarchy clearly survives and they sort of cut, cut Andrew off and they go forward.

[Host/Moderator]

What is your sense of how and whether he could be helpful to any of the other potential investigations happening all around the world?

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

He absolutely could be helpful. So just taking a step back in 2019, when Stand why prosecutors went to get a search warrant for electronic devices in the US Virgin Islands and in his penthouse in New York, they cited emails where Maxwell was talking about procuring young girls for Jeffrey Epstein. They cited several of them. Can you find me inappropriate friends I believe was one of the emails and talked about, you know, setting him up with people in Peru for, you know, two legged sightseeing. I mean they were just gross emails. And they cite an FBI agent in an affidavit signed I interpret these as evidence of, of sex trafficking and that's why we should have probable cause to be able to search these devices in his homes. So SDNY knew back then that there was real evidence there of his engagement in sex trafficking. And Jeff Berman in his book talks about the fact that hey, Prince Andrew is going out there and saying that he is willing to cooperate. We are trying to reach out to him and he is not cooperating. So our doors are open, come in and talk to us.

[Tara Palmeri]

And.

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

And he wasn't what the. He wasn't, you know, exactly doing what he said he was doing. And so they clearly felt at that time in 2019 that he had useful information for their investigations into, you know, Maxwell, into Epstein and even into potentially other coconspirators that they were looking at. So I think he is somebody that should be spoken to. And the question is why is this happening now when again that was known back then? You would think, think that there would be cooperation between the UK and the US with law enforcement there to compel him to cooperate, to get him to cooperate, especially when there was evidence of other criminality that the UK clearly just has jurisdiction over. Like that could have been some kind of an exchange of information between the two countries of hey, help us with our sex trafficking information. We also have evidence here. It seems like there wasn't really a will for that on the UK side. And so where does that come from? Now there is the will and it's because of these survivors, even though he is not, not been charged with sex trafficking, that should not take away at all from what these survivors have done. Because by passing this act and by having this all out in the open, I mean there is a will from the public to see accountability and that is what is driving this arrest today.

[Host/Moderator]

What is the prospect for sort of an investigation. And I've asked members of Congress this question too. But for an investigation in the UK to help illuminate some potential subjects or targets in this country, I mean, they

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

absolutely should be trying to talk to him. But if you think about it, he doesn't have a great incentive to really share something that is clear. The sex trafficking crimes are clearly more serious than what he's currently been charged with.

[Host/Moderator]

So do you think they hold that out? As you know, if you cooperate, if you and I mean, they've got Mandelson, too. I mean, if the two of you help us piece together the trafficking operation, I mean, you've got him acknowledging that they all saw young women coming in and out. What did they think? I mean, he didn't run a modeling agency. Why did they think they were there? I mean, what is if you withhold a potential prosecution on the child sex trafficking ring, can you leverage him as a witness against other co conspirators?

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

I mean, I can't speak to how they would do it in the UK Here, it's pretty hard to have somebody be a cooperating witness and not actually acknowledge that they are guilty of the thing themselves first, first and then get some leniency there and saying, ok, you did this, you're guilty of this, but you can help us get other people and learn more about how this organization worked and really provide value and substantial assistance to prosecutors. I'm certain that that would be a conversation that prosecutors would be open to having. Again, assuming prosecutors in this country are even interested in pursuing it, which they continue to tell us that they are not interested in pursuing it. But everything that has happened over the last few weeks, weeks since all of these files have been released, tells us that there are more questions to be answered.

[Host/Moderator]

All right, no one's going anywhere. There's a lot more to show you. I want to share some of the voices from the survivors who are responsible for bringing all of this to light and putting this in motion. Also ahead for us, while accountability is seeming to reach new heights around the world and calls are growing for some semblance of accountability at home, there's brand new reporting in the Wall Street Journal on what could have been, should have been, might have been a huge break in the Jeffrey Epstein case, but then it just disappeared. The reporter on that exclusive story joins us coming up. Also ahead, the slow creep of Trump's election takeover from the steps he's taking in the state of Georgia to news that his Department of Homeland Security is working with the White House to intimidate naturalized citizens from voting in future elections. We'll have all those stories and more today. And Deadly White House continues after a quick break. So don't go anywhere.

[Tara Palmeri]

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[Donald Trump]

I think it's a shame. I think it's very sad. I think it's so bad for the royal family. It's a very, very sad to me, it's a very sad thing when I see that. It's a very sad thing to see it and to see what's going on with his brother who's obviously coming to our country, country very soon. And he's a fantastic man, the king. So I think it's a very sad thing. It's really interesting because nobody used to speak about Epstein when he was alive, but now they speak. But I'm the one that can talk about it because I've been totally exonerated. I did nothing.

[Host/Moderator]

Not for nothing. Nobody asked him. But okay, Tara. He did do something, though. He called as Chrissy just reminded us. The Palm beach sheriff described Ghislaine Maxwell as totally evil. He also, in his own telling, was mad that Jeffrey Epstein Took. Took someone from him. And that someone stole. Was Virginia. Stole someone from him. Was Virginia. Right.

[Tara Palmeri]

Yeah. It's interesting. Right now, the Epstein files are all about exonerating him, not what they're revealing to the public about a story that has been obviously not a story, but a case that has been pushed aside for so long. It's a sad day. I mean, a lot of people feel vindicated. I think most people feel that way. I think a lot of people feel like finally power is no longer protecting itself anymore, that even elites have to face. To face the music sometimes. But perhaps in the President's world, that's not the case. Some people are kings and they don't have to deal with this. So I don't. I don't think the rest of America, especially not the people that voted for him, the populist base would think it was so sad that someone who committed a crime didn't have to pay for it.

[Host/Moderator]

Yeah. I mean, to that point, 86% of all Americans, that's almost strongly or somewhat disagree with the statement that the Epstein files show that powerful people agree with the fact that the Epstein file show that powerful people are rarely held accountable. Only 11% of people disagree with them, which is probably the membership at Mar a Lago. I mean, this is. This is like a 9010 issue. There is no disagreement in the country that for, yes, for kings and presidents and then, I guess, commerce secretaries, there's no consequence to being associated with a dead, convicted child sex trafficker. But, you know, even the Lutnik statement, the Lutnik statement is so important because it. It projects such knowledge of child predation. He says, I went in with three nannies and three kids, and I came out with those three nannies and three kids. Like, nobody asked him, nobody asked for a headcount, nobody asked if he took role in and out. But only someone who knows that young children and women were potential prey for Jeffrey Epstein says before Congress, I went to the island for lunch. Oops, sorry, forgot to tell you. But I went in with three nannies and I came out with those three nannies.

[Tara Palmeri]

Wow. Right? It's a little oversharing. Right. And the same way, the same way that he, some would say overshared, when he volunteered to the New York Post in that podcast, that he only went to his neighbor Jeffrey Epstein's house once, and he was creeped out and he was there with his wife and he quickly left. But it was just kind of like a voyeuristic interest in seeing what goes on in there. He saw a massage table, just volunteered that. It turns out he was lying all along. He said he cut off contact after that. No, you wanted to go to his island. Elon Musk, who was like, Trump's going to get blown up in the Epstein files. And here he is being like, party, party, party. Can I come to your island? Girls, girls, girls. It's like, okay, bro, we know what you're all about. It's just, it's revealing how many people are in leadership positions or close to those, you know, advising those in leadership positions. And they're not high minded people. They're not thinking about their roles in society or trying to better society. In fact, when you read these Epstein files, they're mostly about sex and how to avoid penalties and how to like, control the system. They're not about doing any good for the world.

[Host/Moderator]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, Michael, let me, let me ask you that. I mean, cares. Prime Minister Starmer's prime ministership was at least a week ago in a tenuous state. Does he have any interest to be a good actor here and aggressively investigate these allegations?

[Michael Shear]

I mean, he does, I think, and there's no connection, direct connection that he has to the files. But, but the problem is that his judgment has been called into question. The reason that his, his premiership was at risk was because rightly, people pointed out that he had appointed Peter Mandelson to be Ambassador to the US At a time when there was lots publicly known about the relationship between Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein. And you know, the question that the Prime Minister's critics have asked repeatedly is how could you do that? And the answer, I think really, if Starmer were being honest and all these other people were being honest, is that it's about the elite protecting each other. Right. That's what people have been so frustrated about with the royals protecting each other. And I think the reason it appeals to Trump's populist base is that there's at least this, this sense that has helped to power Trump to office the first time and again the second time, that somehow there is this kind of elite group of rich, connected, you know, lawyers, business executives, politicians who all look out for each other. And what the Epstein files, the release of the documents do is it finally blows that apart. It provides ammunition to show, to describe exactly how that protection scheme worked. And you know, to your question about Starmer, I mean, I think he's got an interest in pushing some of these prosecutions, but it's sort of self interested now because it's a, it's a way of defending himself and the judgments that

[Host/Moderator]

he made early on right after the fact. Here's something else. Yeah, this news has broken since we've been on the air, Christy, and I'll just read it to you. Special agents and prosecutors at the New Mexico Department of Justice will be seeking immediate access to the complete unredacted federal case file and intend to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, as well as the Epstein Truth Commission, recently established by the New Mexico legislature, that is the New Mexico Department of Justice chief of staff and spokesperson Lauren Rodriguez, writing in an email statement. So another, another sort of tectonic shift following the passage of the Epstein Transparency Act. New investigations, new scrutiny on the crimes that allegedly happened at Jeffrey Epstein's New Mexico residence.

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

It's long overdue. It really didn't make sense to me why, when they went to execute search warrants in the U.S. virgin Islands and in Manhattan, why they also didn't look at New Mexico. We can see in the files there are plenty of victims who talked about New Mexico, who said they were abused in New Mexico. It would seem like that would provide the probable cause you would need to get a search warrant for the fact,

[Host/Moderator]

to Tara's point, that they didn't believe the women.

[Legal Analyst Christy Greenberg]

I mean, possibly, I don't know, it's certainly an oversight and it's certainly something that I'm glad they're doing now. But, you know, this is years later. So how many documents, how many devices, how many things have been destroyed? I mean, it's when you have a crime scene and that's exactly what his ranch in New Mexico is. You preserve the crime scene so that they can't destroy evidence. So, you know, I don't know how much they will be able to learn, but it's good that they're trying.

[Host/Moderator]

I mean, I guess the last point here, Tara, is that Donald Trump tried to say there was nothing to see here. They made big binders, they filled them with a whole lot of nothing. They put out a memo in the middle of the night at the beginning of the summer and said, we've looked and there's nothing. Kash Patel, after going on Joe Rogan and saying there are a gazillion gigabytes of evidence, went before Congress and said there were no co conspirators. Nobody else committed crimes. Nobody else was a sex trafficker. The files come out because of a bipartisan act of Congress based on a public revolt. I mean, I sit here every day. I don't read the number. 86% of Americans agreeing that up is that way and down is that way. They agree on nothing and they believe right there is a politicians that there's some scheme to prevent accountability from happening.

[Tara Palmeri]

Yeah, I mean this is like a universal issue right now. It's creating a real uprising against the elites and I don't think this is a bipartisan one. Like you said. I think there needs to be some accountability. In this case. There is a feeling that there is injustice and the more we see our allies abroad actually pursuing justice in this case, I think the more Americans are going to get angry and wondering what's happening here. They this is not going to stop at their shores.

[Host/Moderator]

Yeah, well we're going to continue to call on both of you, especially while the actions over there. We're happy that you're there, Michael Share Tara Palmeri thank you for starting us off.

[Tara Palmeri]

That was another episode of the Tara Palmeri Show. Thank you so much for tuning in. As always, please like subscribe Follow Share this with all of your friends. Friends Leave a Comment Please keep this Keep the show going. Go to tara palmary.com Sign up for my newsletter, the Red Letter. You get my exclusive reporting straight to your inbox. And you can support independent journalism, which is what we need more of, especially in these days when you're hearing that Stephen Colbert can't even publish, you know, an interview with James Talarico because he's being pressured by the fcc. No pressure here over the Tara Palmary show, but we need you to keep it going. So thank you. I want to thank my producer, Eric Abenate. I want to thank Abby Baker on the social media research booking, Adam Stewart, who does my graphics, and Dan Rosen, my manager. See you again soon.

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Hi, I'm Tamsen Fadal, journalist and author of how to Menopause and host of the Tamsen Show, a weekly podcast with your roadmap to midlife and beyond. We cover it all, from dating to divorce, aging to adhd, sleep to sex, brain health to body fat, and even how perimenopause can affect your relationships. And trust me, it can. Each week I sit down with doctors, experts and leaders in longevity for unfiltered conversations packed with advice on everything from hormones to happiness and, of course, how to stay sane during what can be. Well, let's face it, a pretty chaotic chapter of life. Think of us as your midlife survival guide. New episodes released every Wednesday. Listen now on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.