Podcast
The Tara Palmeri Show
Hosted by Tara Palmeri · EN
Welcome to The Tara Palmeri Show!
Tara Palmeri is one of the most feared and fearless political journalists. As a deeply-sourced reporter, she brings her audience inside the machinations of the highest level of power. Her quick wit and unvarnished reporting goes beyond the headlines, offering a deeper understanding of the intrigues of the permanent political class. This show is not about platitudes. Rather it's about what’s really happening at the highest levels of power and the inside conversation.
Tara has covered national politics and foreign affairs for fifteen years. She was formerly a White House Correspondent for ABC News, where she covered the first Trump administration. She was the Chief National Correspondent for POLITICO during the Biden administration. She has been a political analyst for CNBC, CBS and CNN. She’s also worked for the Washington Examiner, the New York Post, POLITICO Europe and Puck, and she hosted The Ringer's election podcast "Somebody's Gotta Win." Tara also hosted two acclaimed podcasts on Jeffrey Epstein called "Broken: Jeffrey Epstein" and "Power: The Maxwells."
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244episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Abdul El-Sayed is Challenging Democrats — But Can He Actually Govern?
May 300:38:04Summary readyTara Palmeri sits down with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the former Detroit health director and Michigan Senate candidate running against the Democratic establishment without a dollar of corporate money. Abdul breaks down the crowded Michigan Senate primary — Mallory McMorrow's resurfaced tweets disparaging the state she wants to represent, Haley Stevens' Schumer backing, and why his poll numbers keep climbing despite no PAC support. They go deep on his relationship with Hasan Piker and whether campaigning with a controversial creator costs or gains votes, his willingness to sit down with Trump ("He's a narcissistic a***ole... he's also the president"), the $100 million AIPAC super PAC targeting him, why he thinks Democrats lost in 2024, and what Medicare for All actually looks like in a gridlocked Senate. Plus a rapid-fire round that includes his thoughts on Hamas vs. the IDF, his hatred of Ohio, and why Bernie Sanders is "the OG." 0:00 – Intro: Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Michigan Senate candidate running without corporate money 1:33 – Schumer backed Stevens, now says he's "fine with either" of Abdul's opponents 4:37 – Running without PAC money: "When people understand you're fighting for them, they support you" 6:26 – "Trump is not the disease — he's the worst symptom. The disease is the system" 7:44 – Tara: This sounds like left-wing populism — same playbook as Trump 9:43 – What he's done: free glasses for kids, taking on polluters, eliminating $700M in medical debt 14:15 – Tara: Voters are throwing away purity tests to vote for outsiders 16:52 – Tara: If you could grill RFK Jr., what would you ask? 18:28 – Hasan Piker: are you worried campaigning with him could cost you votes? 28:17 – Tara: Would you sit down with Trump? 30:17 – Michigan vs. Ohio: "Ohio exists to hold up Michigan" 32:47 – Biggest mistake Democrats made in 2024? 33:01 – If you lose, what will it be because of? 33:12 – If you win, what changes on day one? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
King Charles, Trump, and the Epstein Silence in Washington
Apr 3000:12:19Summary readyTara Palmeri joins Piers Morgan to discuss the elephant in the room during King Charles's state visit to Washington: his brother Prince Andrew's unresolved Epstein allegations. While Charles gave an impassioned speech to Congress about democratic values and humanitarian roots, he never mentioned the word "Epstein" — and no one in the room pressed him on it. Tara breaks down the elite normalization she witnessed all weekend, from the state dinner to the garden party to the White House Correspondents Dinner, and why she chose to attend Virginia Giuffre's memorial instead. They also discuss why the UK is actually investigating Epstein-linked figures while the US has prosecuted zero public officials, why 40 terabytes of FBI video remain hidden, and Lauren Boebert's sharp rebuke that the King's "do's and don'ts" list for Congress sounded more like rules his own family should follow with victims. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
Inside Blanche’s Power Play: Epstein Lawsuit & Comey Indictment w/ Katie Phang
Apr 2900:38:20Summary readyTara Palmeri sits down with attorney and journalist Katie Phang, who just filed the first lawsuit against Todd Blanch and the DOJ for violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Katie explains why the law was written without enforcement teeth — Republicans intentionally blocked private causes of action — and why she sued as a journalist: if she can't access the files, she can't report on them or pull on threads. They also break down Todd Blanch's audition for attorney general, the Comey seashells indictment as a distraction, and the Jay Clayton–Leon Black conflict of interest at the heart of the Epstein cover-up. Tara shares what happened when she confronted Blanch at the French ambassador's residence during White House Correspondents Weekend — he denied everything, his wife said she "ruined a beautiful night," and his taxpayer-funded security detail threatened to remove her for trespassing on French soil. 0:46 – The Transparency Act was intentionally written without enforcement teeth 4:43 – Standing as a journalist: videos, photos, FBI interviews — "I can't do my job" 6:15 – The Comey indictment: seashells spelling 8647 9:32 – The timing: WHCD shooting, the ballroom lawsuit, and Comey as distraction 10:20 – Lindsey Graham wants taxpayers to fund Trump's $400 million ballroom 12:20 – The Republican power trifecta vs. the "Epstein elite" who benefit from inaction 13:08 – Trump's approval going down — but Democrats aren't gaining either 16:14 – CNN poll: double haters now favor Democrats by 31 points ahead of midterms 21:34 – Tara confronts Todd Blanche at the French ambassador's residence 24:33 – Tara asks Blanche about the Clayton–Black conflict — "You don't know what you're talking about" 26:41 – Actual vs. perceived conflicts — prosecutors are held to a higher standard 32:01 – Tara: "He's not a dumb guy — he knows exactly what he's saying" 34:25 – Katie: "I'm not suing for money — I want a court injunction and a special master" 35:07 – How soon before a judge? They want to move fast — "delay only helps them" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
99% of the Epstein Files Are Still Hidden — And Trump Just Made It Worse w/ Jim Acosta
Apr 2800:18:33Summary readyTara Palmeri joins Jim Acosta to unpack Trump's extraordinary 60 Minutes moment — when he volunteered "I am not a rapist, I am not a pedophile" without being asked — and why it echoes Bill Clinton's infamous Monica Lewinsky denial. They break down the ongoing Epstein files cover-up: only 1% of the FBI's 40 terabytes have been released, Todd Blanch is acting as both Trump's former defense attorney and acting AG overseeing the files, and Katie Fang just filed a lawsuit accusing the administration of violating the Epstein Transparency Act. They also discuss the Michael Tracy incident at the Virginia Giuffre memorial and the Substack party, where Tracy harassed Julie K. Brown and was removed by security — and why someone would make a hobby out of targeting Epstein survivors and the reporters who broke the story. 1:00 – Playing the clip: Norah O'Donnell reads the WHCD shooter's manifesto to Trump 1:43 – Trump's response: "I'm not a pedophile... you should be ashamed of yourself" 2:37 – Tara: "She didn't ask him that — he volunteered it, like Clinton and Lewinsky" 4:16 – Tara: The Epstein files have raised more questions — 2.5 million still with the FBI 5:57 – We've seen 1% of the files — 300GB out of 40 terabytes, mostly video 6:16 – The WHCD shooting and Michael Tracy at the Virginia Giuffre memorial 7:16 – Tara: Tracy followed me around Capitol Hill, shoved cameras in survivors' faces 8:03 – "He told survivors they weren't real victims because they were over 18" 11:32 – Survivors were distressed he showed up at Virginia's memorial 12:59 – Tara: Virginia carried so much pain — her suicide is a testament to what survivors endure 14:43 – Jim: Trump said "I'm not a pedophile" on 60 Minutes — we still don't have the files 15:19 – Tara: "That line will go down in history — it will be played forever" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
What RFK Jr.’s Secret Diaries Reveal About His Next Run w/Isabel Vincent
Apr 2300:35:17Summary readyTara Palmeri sits down with New York Post investigative reporter Isabel Vincent to discuss her explosive new book "RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise." Isabel obtained RFK Jr.'s personal diaries — without his cooperation — and they reveal a man obsessed with the presidency, riddled with sexual compulsion, and shaped by generations of Kennedy entitlement. The diaries include a scoring system for women he slept with (rated 1–10, with "victory" meaning he resisted), passages about failing his dead father's expectations, and entries where he castrates roadkill while his kids wait in the car. They also dig into the unanswered questions around his second wife Mary Richardson Kennedy's suicide — the missing phone, the missing computer, no suicide note, and a half-redacted police report — plus Cheryl Hines' $600K book deal, RFK's meetings with pharma lobbyists his own base hates, and why Isabel believes he is absolutely going to run for president in 2028. 0:57 – Tara: RFK has big ambitions — "this is a stepping stone" 2:13 – How she obtained his diaries: a source left three volumes at dinner 4:39 – The diaries as confessional — he writes about women like he's the victim 6:39 – First time a Kennedy confessed to infidelity in his own writing 8:24 – Mary at home with four kids under ten while he crusades and cheats 9:48 – His father told him he was "most like JFK" — conditioned since childhood 10:49 – Isabel: "I think you're going to see him run for president" in 2028 11:50 – Cheryl Hines: the $600K book advance and a marriage of convenience 13:04 – The Olivia Nuzzi affair and whether it almost ended his marriage 15:06 – The mythmaking: Twinkies, saunas with Kid Rock, cold plunges in jeans 17:05 – Does he really believe what he says? Congressional hearings and stubbornness 20:13 – Kennedy entitlement: his father had the speed limit raised so he wouldn't get a ticket 21:53 – Mary's suicide still weighs on him — but he had her body dug up and reburied 22:25 – The roadkill obsession: seagull skull collection, job at the National Zoo 28:32 – Hardest story to report: Mary's suicide — missing computer, no note, redacted police report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
Why Ghislaine Maxwell Could Be More Valuable Than You Think
Apr 2100:13:17Summary readyTara Palmeri joins former CIA officers John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea on Mission Implausible to break down the Ghislaine Maxwell VIP prison treatment, Trump's refusal to rule out a pardon, and the DOJ sitting on 99% of the Epstein files. Why was a convicted sex trafficker transferred to the lowest-security federal facility — and given a puppy — after meeting with Todd Blanch, Trump's former personal lawyer? Why has the DOJ only released 1% of the total Epstein package while pulling prosecutors off counterintelligence cases to work on redactions? And why are survivors still living in fear while Ghislaine gets vegan food and haircuts? Tara also explains how Ghislaine wasn't just Epstein's girlfriend — she was the mastermind, the crueler perpetrator, the "Mary Poppins" who lured girls in with her posh accent and then abused them out of jealousy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
SummaryHow Independent Journalists Are Breaking the Stories Legacy Media Won't Touch
Apr 1900:54:45Summary readyTara joins a panel at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy alongside journalist Julia Angwin, Marissa Kabas of The Hand Basket, and Memo Torres of LA Taco for a conversation on resistance journalism in the Trump era. The panel covers how independent journalists are breaking the biggest stories — from federal funding freezes to the Swalwell scandal to ICE raid coverage — while facing daily legal threats, zero institutional support, and shrinking trust in legacy media. They also dig into objectivity vs. honesty, the symbiotic relationship between indie and legacy media, and why reader-supported journalism may be the only model that can't be captured. #journalism #politics #independent 0:00 – Julia Angwin opens: the climate for US journalism has changed dramatically 2:39 – Capturing the media landscape is a hallmark of authoritarianism 3:32 – Marissa Kabas intro: from one leak to becoming the hub for government whistleblowers 5:46 – Why people trust independent journalists over legacy institutions right now 6:45 – Tara intro: covering the Epstein story solo with daily legal threats 7:28 – "Most days I get a legal threat — I got one yesterday, I'll probably get another today" 8:27 – Victims have told Congress there are other men living free with no consequences 9:19 – Melania's surprise Epstein statement — "we're only at the tip of the iceberg" 9:52 – The Swalwell story was broken by content creators, not legacy media 10:54 – "If that independent journalist hadn't got the story out, he'd be the next governor of California" 12:14 – Memo Torres intro: from covering tacos to covering ICE raids in LA 13:47 – Soccer moms, nurses, and mechanics became grassroots intelligence agents 16:26 – Debunking viral misinformation: the influencer, the old lady, and the eggs 18:44 – Reader-supported journalism: no corporate boss, no advertiser pressure 21:42 – Tara on audience relationship: "my agenda is social justice — is that a bad thing?" 23:08 – The comment section as an investigative community 25:27 – Legacy media's failure: "they started vertical videos and think they're cool now" 28:38 – Memo's Daily Memo: strangers crying on the street because of what he's reported 33:34 – Marissa: "I hold myself to an even higher standard because of the legal burden" 37:34 – Tara on running a 5-person operation and pitching litigious stories to mainstream outlets 40:15 – Memo: LA Taco's ICE death database — past 60 deaths and counting 42:25 – The objectivity debate: Marissa, Tara, and Memo each weigh in 46:40 – Tara: "The muckrakers changed this country with the power of the pen" 47:13 – Memo: "Objectivity is bullshit — honesty is more important" 50:35 – Q&A: How do you keep community connection as your audience scales? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Summary
Inside Michael Wolff's uncomfortably close relationship with Epstein
Apr 1700:41:01Tap to summarizeWho is the real Michael Wolff? Tara joins Lev Parnas and investigative journalist Ellie Leonard to pull back the curtain on the man who calls himself the "Epstein whisperer." Wolff raised nearly $1 million through GoFundMe claiming he'd depose Melania Trump — but the anti-SLAPP lawsuit he filed can't actually lead to depositions. They also break down Michael Cohen's shifting story about the Katie Johnson case and why both men are now attacking the independent journalists actually doing the work. 00:00 – Intro: Who is the real Michael Wolff? 0:46 – Michael Cohen and Wolff team up to call Tara and Ellie "conspiracy theorists" 2:02 – Tara: "I've never been called a conspiracy theorist in 18 years of journalism" 2:42 – Wolff, Cohen, and the podcast where they attacked independent journalists 3:10 – The bid to buy New York magazine with Epstein AND Harvey Weinstein — documented 5:07 – Cohen and Wolff playing clip: they call Tara and Ellie "far-left activists" 7:13 – Michael Cohen's collapsing Katie Johnson story — private investigators, contradicting lawyers 10:19 – Wolff is sitting on Epstein tapes and shopping them to the highest bidder 13:57 – The GoFundMe anti-SLAPP lawsuit explained: it can't actually lead to depositions 16:02 – Wolff says he has Epstein on tape — so why not just release it? 18:28 – He's thinking about the perpetrators staying quiet, not the survivors speaking up 23:23 – He made $13 million on his book — why does he need a GoFundMe? 29:31 – Wolff tried to discredit Julie K. Brown, Tina Brown, Ronan Farrow — now it's us 33:07 – "I'm not getting out of the way" — Ellie on continuing the work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Transcribe →Swalwell’s Donors Want Out—And Are Asking Where the Money Went
Apr 1600:32:46Tap to summarizeTara calls in from Perugia, Italy and Nomiki Konst joins from Barcelona for a deep dive into the Eric Swalwell fallout. Donors are furious and demanding their money back, a billionaire backer is suing to claw back $1 million, and the former congressman's gubernatorial campaign is dead. Nomiki shares her own story of Swalwell aggressively flirting with her at a DNC meeting in 2018 — in full view of party leadership — raising the question of what Democrats knew and when. They also discuss the modeling industry's trafficking pipeline, how visa control keeps women trapped, Amanda Angara's explosive allegations, and why MeToo didn't go far enough the first time around. Read the full story: https://open.substack.com/pub/tarapalmeri/p/exclusive-swalwell-donors-are-calling?r=1ili3&utm_medium=ios 1:10 – Brave women and citizen journalists broke the story first 2:49 – The rape allegation: hotel, strangulation, and campaign finance receipts that match 3:42 – Donors want their money back — the non-disparagement agreement from Politico 6:58 – Nomiki's own story: Swalwell buying her prosecco and getting touchy at a DNC meeting in 2018 8:39 – Six years later he shows up in her DMs — "I don't think he even remembered me" 10:12 – What did Democratic leadership know? The Washington protection racket 12:23 – The DC culture that enables abuse: dorms, lobbyists, young staffers, no families around 17:16 – Did Pelosi know? She was the first to call for his resignation 19:11 – TMZ enters Washington: more congressmembers will be exposed 20:14 – Amanda Angara update: not backing down, Tara working to verify explosive claims 21:03 – The modeling-trafficking pipeline: visas, dorms, and girls with no power 24:04 – Fashion TV, Paolo's company, and how young these girls looked 25:17 – The Tyra Banks documentary: the full spectrum from Epstein to supermodel 26:07 – Victoria's Secret, Les Wexner, and MC Squared's Einstein visas 29:12 – Closing: Swalwell's campaign is dead, donors are furious, and there are more to come Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Transcribe →Epstein, the Manosphere, and the Erasure of Women w/ Lauren Leader
Apr 1500:51:26Tap to summarizeLauren Leader — co-founder of All In Together and one of the leading voices on women in politics — joins Tara to talk about the pattern no one in Washington wants to name: every woman in Trump's cabinet is being pushed out. From Pam Bondi to Kristi Noem to Tulsi Gabbard to Linda McMahon, the firings keep coming — and Lauren explains why this is textbook "glass cliff" politics. They go deep on the manosphere's hijacking of the Epstein story, why victim testimony from women is treated as hearsay, the Victoria's Secret–Wexner–Epstein pipeline that sexualized an entire generation of girls, Joe Rogan's 11% female guest rate, Michael Wolff's Epstein ties, and why the U.S. ranks 43rd in the world for gender parity. Get 15% off OneSkin with the code TARA at https://www.oneskin.co/TARA #oneskinpod #ad 0:00 – Intro: Every woman in Trump's cabinet is getting fired 2:13 – The glass cliff: women handed impossible jobs, then blamed when they fail 7:34 – Pam Bondi was a lapdog who still got fired 10:32 – The manosphere hijacks the Epstein narrative — Rogan, Fridman, all-male panels 14:30 – Joe Rogan: only 11% of his guests are women — and it shows 21:49 – "Not one of them has been fired — they all resigned. That's not the same thing" 24:43 – Victoria's Secret, Les Wexner, and how Epstein shaped a body image crisis 30:02 – Ezra Klein and Bill Maher center men in the Epstein conversation 35:50 – Michael Wolff: decades observing Epstein, offering to brief the Saudis through him 40:14 – Anna Paulina Luna's discharge petition — credit where it's due 42:25 – Mike Johnson blocking Republican women from leadership 45:07 – The pay gap got worse, black women's unemployment spiked, maternal health crisis deepens 45:31 – The Florida woman forced into a C-section mid-labor by a Zoom judge 47:29 – Outro and thanks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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