Episodes

  • King Charles, Trump, and the Epstein Silence in Washington

    King Charles, Trump, and the Epstein Silence in Washington
    Apr 30 2026
    Tara Palmeri joins Piers Morgan to discuss the elephant in the room during King Charles's state visit to Washington: his brother Prince Andrew's unresolved Epstein allegations. While Charles gave an impassioned speech to Congress about democratic values and humanitarian roots, he never mentioned the word "Epstein" — and no one in the room pressed him on it. Tara breaks down the elite normalization she witnessed all weekend, from the state dinner to the garden party to the White House Correspondents Dinner, and why she chose to attend Virginia Giuffre's memorial instead. They also discuss why the UK is actually investigating Epstein-linked figures while the US has prosecuted zero public officials, why 40 terabytes of FBI video remain hidden, and Lauren Boebert's sharp rebuke that the King's "do's and don'ts" list for Congress sounded more like rules his own family should follow with victims. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    12 mins
  • Inside Blanche’s Power Play: Epstein Lawsuit & Comey Indictment w/ Katie Phang

    Inside Blanche’s Power Play: Epstein Lawsuit & Comey Indictment w/ Katie Phang
    Apr 29 2026
    Tara Palmeri sits down with attorney and journalist Katie Phang, who just filed the first lawsuit against Todd Blanch and the DOJ for violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Katie explains why the law was written without enforcement teeth — Republicans intentionally blocked private causes of action — and why she sued as a journalist: if she can't access the files, she can't report on them or pull on threads. They also break down Todd Blanch's audition for attorney general, the Comey seashells indictment as a distraction, and the Jay Clayton–Leon Black conflict of interest at the heart of the Epstein cover-up. Tara shares what happened when she confronted Blanch at the French ambassador's residence during White House Correspondents Weekend — he denied everything, his wife said she "ruined a beautiful night," and his taxpayer-funded security detail threatened to remove her for trespassing on French soil. 0:46 – The Transparency Act was intentionally written without enforcement teeth 4:43 – Standing as a journalist: videos, photos, FBI interviews — "I can't do my job" 6:15 – The Comey indictment: seashells spelling 8647 9:32 – The timing: WHCD shooting, the ballroom lawsuit, and Comey as distraction 10:20 – Lindsey Graham wants taxpayers to fund Trump's $400 million ballroom 12:20 – The Republican power trifecta vs. the "Epstein elite" who benefit from inaction 13:08 – Trump's approval going down — but Democrats aren't gaining either 16:14 – CNN poll: double haters now favor Democrats by 31 points ahead of midterms 21:34 – Tara confronts Todd Blanche at the French ambassador's residence 24:33 – Tara asks Blanche about the Clayton–Black conflict — "You don't know what you're talking about" 26:41 – Actual vs. perceived conflicts — prosecutors are held to a higher standard 32:01 – Tara: "He's not a dumb guy — he knows exactly what he's saying" 34:25 – Katie: "I'm not suing for money — I want a court injunction and a special master" 35:07 – How soon before a judge? They want to move fast — "delay only helps them" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    38 mins
  • 99% of the Epstein Files Are Still Hidden — And Trump Just Made It Worse w/ Jim Acosta

    99% of the Epstein Files Are Still Hidden — And Trump Just Made It Worse w/ Jim Acosta
    Apr 28 2026
    Tara Palmeri joins Jim Acosta to unpack Trump's extraordinary 60 Minutes moment — when he volunteered "I am not a rapist, I am not a pedophile" without being asked — and why it echoes Bill Clinton's infamous Monica Lewinsky denial. They break down the ongoing Epstein files cover-up: only 1% of the FBI's 40 terabytes have been released, Todd Blanch is acting as both Trump's former defense attorney and acting AG overseeing the files, and Katie Fang just filed a lawsuit accusing the administration of violating the Epstein Transparency Act. They also discuss the Michael Tracy incident at the Virginia Giuffre memorial and the Substack party, where Tracy harassed Julie K. Brown and was removed by security — and why someone would make a hobby out of targeting Epstein survivors and the reporters who broke the story. 1:00 – Playing the clip: Norah O'Donnell reads the WHCD shooter's manifesto to Trump 1:43 – Trump's response: "I'm not a pedophile... you should be ashamed of yourself" 2:37 – Tara: "She didn't ask him that — he volunteered it, like Clinton and Lewinsky" 4:16 – Tara: The Epstein files have raised more questions — 2.5 million still with the FBI 5:57 – We've seen 1% of the files — 300GB out of 40 terabytes, mostly video 6:16 – The WHCD shooting and Michael Tracy at the Virginia Giuffre memorial 7:16 – Tara: Tracy followed me around Capitol Hill, shoved cameras in survivors' faces 8:03 – "He told survivors they weren't real victims because they were over 18" 11:32 – Survivors were distressed he showed up at Virginia's memorial 12:59 – Tara: Virginia carried so much pain — her suicide is a testament to what survivors endure 14:43 – Jim: Trump said "I'm not a pedophile" on 60 Minutes — we still don't have the files 15:19 – Tara: "That line will go down in history — it will be played forever" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    19 mins
  • What RFK Jr.’s Secret Diaries Reveal About His Next Run w/Isabel Vincent

    What RFK Jr.’s Secret Diaries Reveal About His Next Run w/Isabel Vincent
    Apr 23 2026
    Tara Palmeri sits down with New York Post investigative reporter Isabel Vincent to discuss her explosive new book "RFK Jr.: The Fall and Rise." Isabel obtained RFK Jr.'s personal diaries — without his cooperation — and they reveal a man obsessed with the presidency, riddled with sexual compulsion, and shaped by generations of Kennedy entitlement. The diaries include a scoring system for women he slept with (rated 1–10, with "victory" meaning he resisted), passages about failing his dead father's expectations, and entries where he castrates roadkill while his kids wait in the car. They also dig into the unanswered questions around his second wife Mary Richardson Kennedy's suicide — the missing phone, the missing computer, no suicide note, and a half-redacted police report — plus Cheryl Hines' $600K book deal, RFK's meetings with pharma lobbyists his own base hates, and why Isabel believes he is absolutely going to run for president in 2028. 0:57 – Tara: RFK has big ambitions — "this is a stepping stone" 2:13 – How she obtained his diaries: a source left three volumes at dinner 4:39 – The diaries as confessional — he writes about women like he's the victim 6:39 – First time a Kennedy confessed to infidelity in his own writing 8:24 – Mary at home with four kids under ten while he crusades and cheats 9:48 – His father told him he was "most like JFK" — conditioned since childhood 10:49 – Isabel: "I think you're going to see him run for president" in 2028 11:50 – Cheryl Hines: the $600K book advance and a marriage of convenience 13:04 – The Olivia Nuzzi affair and whether it almost ended his marriage 15:06 – The mythmaking: Twinkies, saunas with Kid Rock, cold plunges in jeans 17:05 – Does he really believe what he says? Congressional hearings and stubbornness 20:13 – Kennedy entitlement: his father had the speed limit raised so he wouldn't get a ticket 21:53 – Mary's suicide still weighs on him — but he had her body dug up and reburied 22:25 – The roadkill obsession: seagull skull collection, job at the National Zoo 28:32 – Hardest story to report: Mary's suicide — missing computer, no note, redacted police report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • Why Ghislaine Maxwell Could Be More Valuable Than You Think

    Why Ghislaine Maxwell Could Be More Valuable Than You Think
    Apr 21 2026
    Tara Palmeri joins former CIA officers John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea on Mission Implausible to break down the Ghislaine Maxwell VIP prison treatment, Trump's refusal to rule out a pardon, and the DOJ sitting on 99% of the Epstein files. Why was a convicted sex trafficker transferred to the lowest-security federal facility — and given a puppy — after meeting with Todd Blanch, Trump's former personal lawyer? Why has the DOJ only released 1% of the total Epstein package while pulling prosecutors off counterintelligence cases to work on redactions? And why are survivors still living in fear while Ghislaine gets vegan food and haircuts? Tara also explains how Ghislaine wasn't just Epstein's girlfriend — she was the mastermind, the crueler perpetrator, the "Mary Poppins" who lured girls in with her posh accent and then abused them out of jealousy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    13 mins
  • How Independent Journalists Are Breaking the Stories Legacy Media Won't Touch

    How Independent Journalists Are Breaking the Stories Legacy Media Won't Touch
    Apr 19 2026
    Tara joins a panel at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy alongside journalist Julia Angwin, Marissa Kabas of The Hand Basket, and Memo Torres of LA Taco for a conversation on resistance journalism in the Trump era. The panel covers how independent journalists are breaking the biggest stories — from federal funding freezes to the Swalwell scandal to ICE raid coverage — while facing daily legal threats, zero institutional support, and shrinking trust in legacy media. They also dig into objectivity vs. honesty, the symbiotic relationship between indie and legacy media, and why reader-supported journalism may be the only model that can't be captured. #journalism #politics #independent 0:00 – Julia Angwin opens: the climate for US journalism has changed dramatically 2:39 – Capturing the media landscape is a hallmark of authoritarianism 3:32 – Marissa Kabas intro: from one leak to becoming the hub for government whistleblowers 5:46 – Why people trust independent journalists over legacy institutions right now 6:45 – Tara intro: covering the Epstein story solo with daily legal threats 7:28 – "Most days I get a legal threat — I got one yesterday, I'll probably get another today" 8:27 – Victims have told Congress there are other men living free with no consequences 9:19 – Melania's surprise Epstein statement — "we're only at the tip of the iceberg" 9:52 – The Swalwell story was broken by content creators, not legacy media 10:54 – "If that independent journalist hadn't got the story out, he'd be the next governor of California" 12:14 – Memo Torres intro: from covering tacos to covering ICE raids in LA 13:47 – Soccer moms, nurses, and mechanics became grassroots intelligence agents 16:26 – Debunking viral misinformation: the influencer, the old lady, and the eggs 18:44 – Reader-supported journalism: no corporate boss, no advertiser pressure 21:42 – Tara on audience relationship: "my agenda is social justice — is that a bad thing?" 23:08 – The comment section as an investigative community 25:27 – Legacy media's failure: "they started vertical videos and think they're cool now" 28:38 – Memo's Daily Memo: strangers crying on the street because of what he's reported 33:34 – Marissa: "I hold myself to an even higher standard because of the legal burden" 37:34 – Tara on running a 5-person operation and pitching litigious stories to mainstream outlets 40:15 – Memo: LA Taco's ICE death database — past 60 deaths and counting 42:25 – The objectivity debate: Marissa, Tara, and Memo each weigh in 46:40 – Tara: "The muckrakers changed this country with the power of the pen" 47:13 – Memo: "Objectivity is bullshit — honesty is more important" 50:35 – Q&A: How do you keep community connection as your audience scales? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    55 mins
  • Inside Michael Wolff's uncomfortably close relationship with Epstein

    Inside Michael Wolff's uncomfortably close relationship with Epstein
    Apr 17 2026
    Who is the real Michael Wolff? Tara joins Lev Parnas and investigative journalist Ellie Leonard to pull back the curtain on the man who calls himself the "Epstein whisperer." Wolff raised nearly $1 million through GoFundMe claiming he'd depose Melania Trump — but the anti-SLAPP lawsuit he filed can't actually lead to depositions. They also break down Michael Cohen's shifting story about the Katie Johnson case and why both men are now attacking the independent journalists actually doing the work. 00:00 – Intro: Who is the real Michael Wolff? 0:46 – Michael Cohen and Wolff team up to call Tara and Ellie "conspiracy theorists" 2:02 – Tara: "I've never been called a conspiracy theorist in 18 years of journalism" 2:42 – Wolff, Cohen, and the podcast where they attacked independent journalists 3:10 – The bid to buy New York magazine with Epstein AND Harvey Weinstein — documented 5:07 – Cohen and Wolff playing clip: they call Tara and Ellie "far-left activists" 7:13 – Michael Cohen's collapsing Katie Johnson story — private investigators, contradicting lawyers 10:19 – Wolff is sitting on Epstein tapes and shopping them to the highest bidder 13:57 – The GoFundMe anti-SLAPP lawsuit explained: it can't actually lead to depositions 16:02 – Wolff says he has Epstein on tape — so why not just release it? 18:28 – He's thinking about the perpetrators staying quiet, not the survivors speaking up 23:23 – He made $13 million on his book — why does he need a GoFundMe? 29:31 – Wolff tried to discredit Julie K. Brown, Tina Brown, Ronan Farrow — now it's us 33:07 – "I'm not getting out of the way" — Ellie on continuing the work Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    41 mins
  • Swalwell’s Donors Want Out—And Are Asking Where the Money Went

    Swalwell’s Donors Want Out—And Are Asking Where the Money Went
    Apr 16 2026
    Tara calls in from Perugia, Italy and Nomiki Konst joins from Barcelona for a deep dive into the Eric Swalwell fallout. Donors are furious and demanding their money back, a billionaire backer is suing to claw back $1 million, and the former congressman's gubernatorial campaign is dead. Nomiki shares her own story of Swalwell aggressively flirting with her at a DNC meeting in 2018 — in full view of party leadership — raising the question of what Democrats knew and when. They also discuss the modeling industry's trafficking pipeline, how visa control keeps women trapped, Amanda Angara's explosive allegations, and why MeToo didn't go far enough the first time around. Read the full story: https://open.substack.com/pub/tarapalmeri/p/exclusive-swalwell-donors-are-calling?r=1ili3&utm_medium=ios 1:10 – Brave women and citizen journalists broke the story first 2:49 – The rape allegation: hotel, strangulation, and campaign finance receipts that match 3:42 – Donors want their money back — the non-disparagement agreement from Politico 6:58 – Nomiki's own story: Swalwell buying her prosecco and getting touchy at a DNC meeting in 2018 8:39 – Six years later he shows up in her DMs — "I don't think he even remembered me" 10:12 – What did Democratic leadership know? The Washington protection racket 12:23 – The DC culture that enables abuse: dorms, lobbyists, young staffers, no families around 17:16 – Did Pelosi know? She was the first to call for his resignation 19:11 – TMZ enters Washington: more congressmembers will be exposed 20:14 – Amanda Angara update: not backing down, Tara working to verify explosive claims 21:03 – The modeling-trafficking pipeline: visas, dorms, and girls with no power 24:04 – Fashion TV, Paolo's company, and how young these girls looked 25:17 – The Tyra Banks documentary: the full spectrum from Epstein to supermodel 26:07 – Victoria's Secret, Les Wexner, and MC Squared's Einstein visas 29:12 – Closing: Swalwell's campaign is dead, donors are furious, and there are more to come Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    33 mins