Tucker Carlson alleged in an interview with Vanity Fair that President Donald Trump personally ordered the Epstein files to be covered up. His account is based on what he says was a private conversation, and he has not provided documentary evidence such as a memo or executive order.
Early in 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi signaled that an Epstein client list was under review, leading many to believe its release was imminent. However, a Justice Department and FBI memo that July found no incriminating client list and said no further disclosure was warranted. The reversal sparked a backlash, as Bondi had raised public expectations.
Carlson claims he spoke with Trump that summer to push for the release of the Epstein files, as he felt no need to cover for Epstein. He said Trump offered a bunch of different justifications for keeping the material secret. “The order to cover it up came from Trump,” Tucker Carlson said when pressed on the point.
Carlson says Trump saw the whole thing as a plot against him
Carlson also said Trump viewed the entire Epstein files controversy as a political plot against him, comparing it to Russiagate. The White House has not explicitly confirmed or denied the details of that private conversation. Spokesperson Lauren Bis said Trump has been “totally exonerated” on anything relating to Epstein.
Bis credited Trump with signing the transparency legislation and cooperating with the House Oversight Committee’s subpoena. However, when asked whether Carlson’s account was accurate, the White House pointed reporters to an April Truth Social post in which Trump mocked Carlson and suggested he see a psychiatrist.
The fight eventually slipped out of the administration’s control as momentum built in Congress. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, including Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, argued that transparency was essential for public trust. Their bipartisan push produced the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed the House 427-1 and cleared the Senate unanimously before Trump signed it last November.
By the end of January, the Justice Department had published nearly 3.5 million pages from the Epstein files, along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The department said more than 500 attorneys and reviewers worked on the release and that it did not redact the names of politicians or notable figures.
Appearing in the Epstein files does not mean someone committed a crime. Trump and Epstein were socially acquainted for years and were photographed together, and Trump flew on Epstein’s plane. The president says he cut ties long before Epstein’s 2019 arrest, and he has never been charged with a crime connected to Epstein.
Carlson was a vocal Trump supporter during the 2024 campaign and even encouraged the selection of JD Vance as Trump’s running mate. However, their relationship has since collapsed, as Carlson broke with Trump over the Iran war. Vance, who has admitted the administration botched its Epstein files communication, has rejected claims that it tried to hide information.
Congressional efforts to uncover more information about Epstein are continuing, as the House recently held billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress after he defied two Oversight Committee subpoenas seeking testimony and documents.
Published: Sep 17, 2026 03:45 pm