The Daily Beast Podcast Why Trump Is Obsessed by Burning Evidence: Wolff
9 snips
Nov 19, 2025 
Michael Wolff, a prominent author and journalist known for his incisive takes on U.S. politics, joins Joanna Coles to delve into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's death. They explore Trump’s obsession with Nixon’s tape-burning, suggesting it symbolizes a desire to eliminate inconvenient evidence. Discussions reveal the potential for lost files, the implications of a politically influenced DOJ, and the challenges of uncovering the truth behind Epstein's connections. Wolff even mentions his strategy to depose Melania Trump to potentially connect the dots.
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Trump's 'Burn The Tapes' Obsession
- Michael Wolff highlights Trump's recurring obsession with Nixon's tapes and the idea of 'burning' evidence as revealing his mindset.
- Wolff argues this obsession explains Trump's extreme focus on controlling or destroying potentially incriminating Epstein material.
Flooding The Zone To Distract
- Wolff explains Republicans flooded the zone by releasing tens of thousands of Epstein emails to bury other stories.
- He says this tactic turns attention away from Trump by making him one of many names in a vast trove.
Who Controls The Epstein Files?
- Wolff maps complex custody and provenance questions about the 'Epstein files' across many agencies and jurisdictions.
- He warns release decisions allow the executive branch to curate and redact material to protect priorities, notably Trump.
