The Daily Beast Podcast I Saw How Epstein Literally Made People Into Pawns
Aug 10, 2025
Michael Wolff, best-selling author and journalist known for his works on Donald Trump, shares chilling insights from his time with Jeffrey Epstein. He reveals the disturbing symbolism of Epstein's chess set, where he depicted himself as king, and discusses the dark power dynamics within Epstein's circle. Wolff also analyzes Trump’s ambitions for the White House ballroom, connecting those desires to the figures from his media persona. Join them as they unpack the unsettling overlap between influence, manipulation, and reality in politics.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Epstein's Personalized Chess Set
- Michael Wolff describes Epstein's bespoke chess set that mapped household roles to pieces.
- The pieces represented Epstein as king and the household as carved figures around him.
Epstein's Young 'Queen' At Dinners
- Michael Wolff recalls Epstein's quiet young girlfriend attending some dinners and salons with him.
- He says she appeared about 23 and Epstein sent her to dental school as a form of patronage.
Staff Reduced To 'Pawns' Named Jojo
- Michael Wolff says Epstein's household staff were symbolically reduced to chess pawns and named on the set.
- He specifically recounts the houseman Jojo being represented repeatedly as the pawns on the board.