The Tim & April Show — Episode 90: State of the Union Speech Missing Huge Problem for Trump: Epstein
The New Evangelicals | February 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, hosts Tim Whitaker and April Ajoy discuss the intersection of faith, politics, and culture through a lens of justice and inclusion. The show critically analyzes Donald Trump’s latest State of the Union address, focusing on significant omissions—particularly the lack of mention about the Epstein files—and situates these issues within wider American social and political trends. Tim and April underscore the hypocrisy and danger of Christian nationalism, highlight legislative assaults on marginalized communities, and contrast Trump’s rhetoric with past presidents. The conversation weaves in topics of personal illness, aging, and evangelical culture, maintaining a candid, compassionate, and often humorous tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Updates & Relatability

• [01:50–05:04]
  • April shares about battling the flu and her ruined birthday: “The flu just sucks, man. ... I even got the shot, which is extra annoying.”
  • Tim jokes about aging and back pain after shoveling snow, setting a relatable, candid stage.

2. Legislative Attacks on Marginalized Groups

• Kansas Anti-Trans Law ([06:00]–[10:37])
  • April describes a new Kansas law invalidating trans individuals’ driver’s licenses if the listed gender doesn’t match their birth certificate:

    “If you are a trans person in Kansas and your driver’s license was updated to reflect your gender, but it doesn’t match what’s on your birth certificate, it is no longer valid as of today.” [06:24]

  • Details on the law’s “bathroom bill” aspect—trans people fined for bathroom usage not aligning with birth certificate, enforced via citizen reporting.
  • Tim:

    “This is why voting matters. ... It’s just a privilege that you’re not worrying about lawmakers writing bills that strip your ability to move through America as a normal American citizen.” [09:47]

• Call for Political Engagement
  • Urges listeners to recognize the stakes of midterms and to actively participate in democracy for justice.

3. Black History Month & Whitewashed Narratives

• [10:37–13:40]
  • Resources recommended: the documentary 13th, and books like The Color of Compromise and Stamped from the Beginning.
  • Remembrance and misrepresentation of Jesse Jackson:

    “The only version of Jesse Jackson I was introduced to was that he was a bad guy. ... My own tradition has erased civil rights icons.” — Tim [12:10]

  • Critique of racist Christian nationalist rhetoric, including Doug Wilson’s call to “repeal the Civil Rights Act.”

4. Fact-Checking Trump’s State of the Union Address

• Approach ([14:32–18:44])

  • Tim and April sat through Trump’s address, noting its relentless falsehoods and manipulative narratives.
  • Tim on Trump’s inflation claims:

    “He talked about gas being ‘now below $2.30 a gallon in most states’. Trump is wrong...Not one state has an average below $2.30 per gallon.” [15:39]

  • April refutes Trump’s inflation narrative with Yale research on tariffs raising home construction costs.

• Stock Market and Economic Inequality

  • The stock market serves the wealthy:

    “The wealthiest 1% hold 50% of stocks. ... For the average American, it’s absolute trash.” — Tim [19:27]

  • Trump's legislation cut taxes for the rich and hindered social programs (SNAP, Medicaid).

5. Trump’s Rhetorical Cruelty & Obsession with Violence

• Gruesome Speech Excerpts ([20:47–23:01])

  • Trump’s graphic, almost lurid descriptions of violence against “American families” are highlighted in an audio montage:

    “Lying dead in a bathtub, bleeding profusely, violently and viciously slashed, a knife through her neck and body...” — Trump [21:36]

  • April:

    “He’s telling these stories and the family members are there in the audience and, like, re-traumatizing them.” [21:59]

• Sexualization and the Epstein Files

  • Tim quotes Trump biographer Seth Abramson:

    “Trump gets something close to sexual excitement from describing acts of violence.” [22:07]

  • They connect this to Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and to allegations of abuse shielded from public scrutiny.

6. The “Missing” Epstein Files

• Department of Justice Withholding Evidence ([37:55–41:57])

  • NPR and NYT revealed the DOJ withheld pages related to Trump from the Epstein files, including testimony from a woman alleging Trump sexually assaulted her at age 13.
  • April details the forensic analysis used to demonstrate file removal.
  • The DOJ’s shifting justifications: first “privileged or duplicates,” then citing “ongoing federal investigation.”

  “There’s nothing in the files that say this person is not credible. ... If you are the party that is constantly talking about demonizing trans people in the name of ‘protecting children’, then I feel like you would want to go after ... your president is a pedophile.” — April [41:33]

• Hypocrisy of “Protect the Children” Rhetoric

  • Tim:

    “It’s not about abuse in and of itself. It’s about who is being accused of it and how can we use it to our benefit.” [41:57]

• Hillary Clinton’s Testimony

  • Clinton, testifying to the GOP on Epstein, calls out the “political distraction”:

    “If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein’s trafficking crimes ... it would ask [Trump] directly under oath...” — April reading Clinton’s statement [44:39]

7. Contrasting Presidential Leadership: Obama vs. Trump

• Side-by-side Montage ([24:28–27:18])
  • Obama’s measured, respectful approach is juxtaposed with Trump’s grievance and demonization of the opposition.
  • April reflects:

    “That makes me really miss Obama.” [26:39]

  • Both hosts admit their earlier indoctrination against Obama, now lamenting the “boiling frog” decline in decency and discourse.

8. Evangelical Culture, Shame, and Purity

• Disturbing Preacher Clip: Todd White ([55:09–58:53])
  • A viral video features preacher Todd White drawing disturbing parallels between God’s omnipresence and sexual voyeurism:

    “God’s watching it with you. He waits till you reach climax...” — Todd White [55:43]

  • Tim and April discuss evangelical sexual shame, purity culture myths, and the absurdity of “life-movie” judgment teachings.

9. Calls to Action and Hope

• Midterm Mobilization ([51:16–51:44])
  • Despite everything, April notes cracks in Trump’s base, especially as economic reality bites and the Epstein issues swirl.
  • Encouragement for listeners to stay civically engaged, vote, and tap into the New Evangelicals resources and community.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• April on the Kansas anti-trans law:

  “There are trans men who are fully presenting male, have full beards, and based on this law, they're required to go to the women's bathroom. That is way more uncomfortable than just letting them go to the bathroom where they, like, that matches their gender.” [08:41]

• Tim on indoctrination:

  “You hear it from the pulpit in subtle ways. ... It is very hard to break out of.” [36:56]

• Fact check on Trump’s gas prices claim:

  “Not one state has an average below $2.30 per gallon.” — Tim [15:39]

• On Trump addressing violence:

  “I was thinking, even in the moment, this is super graphic. Not family friendly at all, not presidential at all.” — Tim [21:14]

• On the hypocrisy of child protection rhetoric:

  “If you are the party that is constantly talking about demonizing trans people in the name of, quote, ‘protecting children’, then I feel like you would want to go after or at least investigate claims that your president is a pedophile.” — April [41:33]

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|------------| | Hosts’ illness and aging | 01:50–05:04| | Kansas anti-trans law | 06:00–10:37| | Black History Month & Jesse Jackson discussion | 10:37–13:40| | Trump SOTU fact check: inflation, gas, crime | 14:32–18:44| | Stock market/wealth inequality | 19:01–19:27| | Trump’s graphic speech montage | 21:28–21:56| | Trump biographer on violence | 22:07–22:46| | Obama vs. Trump state of the union montage | 24:28–26:39| | Obama’s approach to hecklers (full clip) | 33:29–35:59| | Epstein files missing pages report | 37:55–41:57| | DOJ and Clinton testimony on Epstein | 44:39–45:08| | Todd White's preacher clip | 55:09–58:53| | Discussion—evangelical shame and purity | 58:54–61:22| | Calls to action/hope for change | 51:14–51:44|

Tone and Style

• Candid, sarcastic, and deeply empathetic, balancing humor with sincere grief at political and spiritual failings.
• Fact-based and data-driven, but conversational and accessible.
• No-holds-barred in critique of both the religious and political right, while calling for integrity and love-based Christianity.

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Tim & April Show is a deep dive into the deterioration of public (and evangelical) discourse, the manipulation of moral language for power, and the urgent, ongoing need for justice-rooted, compassionate faith—especially in the face of political cruelty and hypocrisy. The hosts call their audience toward ongoing education, political action, and, above all, hope for a better future.

For further resources and community, listeners are encouraged to join TNE Connect, the New Evangelicals’ app, and to stay tuned for upcoming podcast episodes and classes.