Unpacking Trump's Epstein Letter and Public Perception

Sam Stein and Will Sommer unpack the fallout from the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on a strange, possibly incriminating letter Donald Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein for his birthday. The discussion focuses on how this revelation is unsettling parts of the MAGA base, especially conspiracy-minded followers who have long seen Epstein as proof of elite corruption. Some are doubling down, claiming the letter is a deep state plant, while others feel betrayed and emotionally shaken by Trump’s dismissive response.

They explore how right-wing influencers like Charlie Kirk and Benny Johnson are spinning the story, and how Fox News, tied to the same parent company as the Wall Street Journal, has gone suspiciously quiet. They float the idea that Ghislaine Maxwell could become a strange MAGA folk hero, with some already calling for her to be pardoned to “clear Trump’s name.” Ultimately, the episode questions whether this moment will be rationalized like Trump’s past scandals, or if it could genuinely fracture his base.