I Know Why Trump Made Epstein His Best Friend
The Daily Beast Podcast

I Know Why Trump Made Epstein His Best Friend

Dec 31, 2025
49:54
S1 · E54
-(0)

About this episode

Michael Wolff joins Joanna Coles to trace the unsettling origins of Donald Trump’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, long before public scandal or denial. Wolff begins with their bond in the late-1980s New York, where Trump was chasing Manhattan legitimacy and Epstein was emerging as a fixer fluent in money, women, and leverage. From Trump introducing Epstein as “my associate—Jeffy,” a pattern forms of shared ambition, cruelty, and secrecy. Wolff links those early dynamics to Trump’s financial near-collapse in the 1990s and Epstein’s claim that he helped Trump survive bankruptcy while keeping his tax returns hidden. If Epstein helped shape Trump’s instincts before power, what does that say about the secrets that still follow him now? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Episode Details

Author
The Daily Beast, Joanna Coles
Show Type
full
Audio Format
audio/mpeg

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