Trump Loses It and Redacts Melania From Files?!!!

0:00I'm R.J. Decker, a private investigator uncovering the sunshine state's darkest secrets. Tuesdays, it's the premiere of ABC's hottest new crime show. R.J. freaking Decker as I live and breathe. He's a private eye. It's not a standard murder. It's someone bigger. And a public mess. Trying to get someone back to prison today? You go to prison one time and suddenly it's all the jokes. R.J. Decker, series premiere, Tuesdays on ABC and stream on Hulu. TaxAct can think of a million things more fun than filing taxes. TaxAct is going to name some now. Sitting in traffic. Folding a fitted bedsheet. Listening to your co-worker talk about his fantasy team.

0:45Digging a hole. Digging an even larger hole next to that original hole. Unfortunately, TaxAct's filing software can't make taxes fun. But TaxAct can help you get them done. TaxAct. Let's get them over with. Paradey presenta Ojos con Alergia y Picazón contra el Jardinero. Y el ganador es Paradey Extra Fuerte. Para aliviar la picazón de los ojos por alergia, actúa más rápido y supera Clarity and Flow Nays aún a las 24 horas. Paradey, adelante. Rince knows that greatness takes time, but so does laundry. So Rince will take your laundry and hand deliver it to your door expertly cleaned. And you can take the time pursuing your passions.

1:27Time once spent sorting and waiting, folding and queuing, now spent challenging and innovating and pushing your way to greatness. So pick up the Irish flute or those calligraphy pens or that daunting Beef Wellington recipe card and leave the laundry to us. Rinse. It's time to be great. Ever notice how ads always pop up at the worst moments? When the killer's identity is about to be revealed. during that perfect meditation flow. On Amazon Music, we believe in keeping you in the moment. That's why we've got millions of ad-free podcast episodes, so you can stay completely immersed in every story, every reveal, every breath.

2:11Download the Amazon Music app and start listening to your favorite podcasts ad-free, included with Prime. time.

2:19Ben Meiselas:Donald Trump is panicking as more revelations come to light from the partial release of approximately 3 million documents from the Epstein files. Last Friday, there's at least 3 million documents, potentially 25 to 50 million pages that are still being concealed by Trump's DOJ. Apparently, Donald Trump has now directed his Department of Justice to redact the photos of Melania Trump's face where she appears in the Epstein files. I mean, there's this document right here, which is clearly a photo of Donald Trump, Melania, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell all together having a grand old time.

2:58Ben Meiselas:And Melania's face is redacted. Look, as Donald Trump's spokesperson previously said, this is Abigail Jackson. She wrote, per the Epstein Files Transparency Act, DOJ was instructed only to redact the faces of victims and or minors. Well, the Trump regime released the names of victims and survivors and released photos of underage individuals, victims of survivors. We had to call that out when these documents were released. They re-traumatized so many survivors, so many victims. I want to share this map with you right here, just so you can see how close Mar-a-Lago was to 358 El Brillo Way. And that's where Epstein lived.

3:48Ben Meiselas:It's about a four minute car ride. It's walking distance, You can see right there. So when people are discussing the horrors that transpired at 358 El Brillo Way, where Epstein lived during the relevant time period where the child sex trafficking was taking place, that's how close it was to Mar-a-Lago. And we know from all of the witness statements and staff statements that Donald Trump brought the Mar-a-Lago spa to Jeffrey Epstein's house. Epstein didn't even have to go to Mar-a-Lago. The spa went to Epstein's home, and you see how close it was. I know a document that lots of people wanted to know more about was the draft indictment that was going to be filed in 2008 against Epstein and co-conspirators until Alex Acosta, who was then the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, entered into that sweetheart deal with Jeffrey Epstein that allowed him basically to do what, 12 months or so just in the evening in prison and allowed him to just plead to solicitation of prostitution.

5:07Ben Meiselas:Granted, it was solicitation of prostitution of a minor. At that point, It should be called rape or sexual assault. But Epstein served very little time. The co-conspirators were concealed and the indictment never saw the light of day. But as you go through this indictment and the draft has now been released, there were dozens and dozens of girls, very young girls, 14 year olds and 15 year olds and this 56 page indictment with over 30 counts lists how Jeffrey Epstein would work with Jane Doe one or Jane Doe two, these 14, 15 year old girls to recruit other girls for his sex trafficking ring. And it was all taking place super close to Mar-a-Lago where Donald Trump was hanging out with Epstein and they would go back and forth to each other's homes quite frequently.

6:10Ben Meiselas:Another major development yesterday, you had former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton calling Donald Trump's bluff because Trump and the MAGA Republicans wanted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt if they didn't show up to provide testimony regarding the Epstein files. So Donald Trump wants to claim he's vindicated and not testify under oath, And he wants to distract by having Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton testify before Congress. Well, former President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, okay, we'll testify, but we want it done publicly. We want it done in front of the world so that everybody can see what's going on.

6:52Ben Meiselas:Not one of these MAGA Republican James Comer backroom deals. Do it in public. Well, here's what James Comer said yesterday about deposing former President Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Let's play this clip. President Trump's name is mentioned one of the thousand times in these documents. Why not try to get more information from him, try to get him to testify? Well, I've noticed that every time you all do a gaggle like this with President Trump, somebody asked him about Epstein. So he's been answering questions about Epstein. Not a note. Well, has Bill Clinton ever answered any questions on Epstein or Hillary Clinton?

7:27So this is going to be a new opportunity and we'll go from there.

7:30Ben Meiselas:Also, hat tip to Caitlin Collins from CNN. She was asking Donald Trump the right questions yesterday about Trump's lies about the Epstein files and asking him about the fact that his name appears 38 ,000 times, 38 ,000 references in 5 ,000 documents. And then Donald Trump just lost it in the Oval Office yesterday as he continues to panic. He wants to talk about golden arches, and he wants to talk about golden ballrooms. And he does not want to talk about the fact that there are 38 ,000 references to his name in the files that have been released so far. Watch him attack Caitlin Collins. And he attacks her as a woman also.

8:16Ben Meiselas:And he says, you know, you're a young woman. Why don't you smile? Why are you asking me these questions? Watch for yourself what took place. Let's play it.

8:51you're not telling the truth. And you're a very dishonest organization, and they should be ashamed of you.

8:58Ben Meiselas:Now, I've done a lot of other analysis on the Epstein files and go back and watch some of the other deep dives that I did. But I also want to talk about how Donald Trump, who claimed to be the president who was going to be great for manufacturing, we're basically in a manufacturing recession right now. Remember, he called himself the Bitcoin president and he sold Bitcoin sneakers and Bitcoin conferences. Well, Bitcoin is absolutely crashing. Every day, there's been another major crash. And now Bitcoin is below$74 ,000 right now. Bitcoin is doing absolutely atrocious. There's a lot of people who have lost a lot of money because they've built their portfolios just on Bitcoin.

9:46Ben Meiselas:But you see, the thing for Donald Trump is he doesn't care because Donald Trump is grifting on an entirely different level. More revelations coming to light about United Arab Emirates royal family diverting$500 million, probably more, to Donald Trump through World Liberty Financial. And Trump claims, I don't know anything about it. You have Democratic Senator Alyssa Slotkin write, the president sold our most sophisticated AI chips to an Emirati company with ties to the Chinese military. Now we find out they paid hundreds of millions directly to the president's kids. It's all there in plain sight.

10:29Ben Meiselas:But look, Trump just posts about ballrooms. That's what he's posting about all night. The beautiful building will be when complete, the much anticipated White House ballroom, the greatest of its kind ever built. Look, Americans just want healthcare. Americans want to be paid with dignity and be able to afford homes and afford rent, afford healthcare, afford groceries. That's what Americans want right now. None of these ballrooms. He's posting about the arches. You had MAGA Mike Johnson and MAGA Republicans in the Oval Office yesterday. And Donald Trump bribes them off with merch. Just look right here at MAGA Mike and these MAGA Republicans in the Oval Office yesterday.

11:19Ben Meiselas:And Donald Trump is giving them America is back hats and other merch. I mean, again, how embarrassing is this? Here play this clip. It'll be nice because, yeah, it's a little embarrassing when they stick their hand up. I I think they'd just be quiet. It's probably easier. But then it should also be noted that was 48 hours ago. Donald Trump was boasting. I spoke with Vladimir Putin. He said, Putin told me that he's agreed that he's going to stop attacking Ukraine because the weather's so cold in Ukraine. Putin's given me his word. And then even Zelensky said, I'm thankful that President Trump got involved.

12:02Ben Meiselas:The people of Ukraine are going to be able to rest easier tonight. Thanks, Donald. And then what happened at that exact moment that Donald was announcing that he said he spoke with Putin and Putin promised him no more attacks on Ukraine for the near future? Almost the worst attacks yet, the Shahid drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, all being unloaded by Russia at Ukraine, at Kiev, at Kharkiv. So Donald Trump was asked about it. A reporter said yesterday, you talked about Putin agreeing that because it was a cold winter, there wouldn't be any more attacks for the near future. And now Putin attacks.

12:44Ben Meiselas:So what do you make of that? And Donald Trump's like, Putin kept his word. What do you mean he kept his word? You literally said that he was not going to attack. And now you said, oh, he promised that it was going to be one week from last week. It's just lie after lie after lie. Here play this clip.

13:27cold over there, but it was on Sunday and he went from Sunday to Sunday. You just wanted he didn't go further or go longer? I wanted him to end the war.

13:35Ben Meiselas:And here's what Caroline Leavitt had to say about that as well. Play this clip. President Trump was talking yesterday about how President Putin had agreed to a week-long halt on attacks on Ukraine because of the cold weather. But today we've seen that Russia has launched some of the heaviest attacks this month. What's your reaction to that? Yeah, I spoke with the president about it this morning and his reaction was unfortunately unsurprised. These are two countries who have been engaged in a very brutal war for several years, a war that would have never started if the president were still in office.

14:07It started because of the weakness and incompetence of the previous president, Joe Biden.

14:12Ben Meiselas:And I think this isn't getting nearly enough attention as well. You know that the American military has boots on the ground in Nigeria right now. America is basically invading Nigeria. No one's talking about it, but we have a small team of troops or commandos who are in Nigeria. The general in charge of the US command in Africa is saying, we admit that we have boots on the ground. Why do we have boots on the ground in Nigeria? Oh, because it's one of the most oil and lithium rich countries and natural resource rich countries. So that's what we're doing. Is Donald Trump going to open up bank accounts in Qatar there the same way he did with the oil that he's stealing from Venezuela and selling it to his right-wing oligarch friends, having it brokered by groups that are accused of massive bribery that donate money to him, and then he shifts the money to Qatari bank accounts.

15:07Ben Meiselas:By the way, Donald Trump is also posting this showdown with Iran, like graphics, like it's some movie, like it's some game that we're talking about American lives and treasury being sent on more endless wars in the Middle East? Showdown in Iran. Didn't you say that you totally obliterated the Iranian threat last June? Oh, that was another lie. And of course, we also have measles spreading across the country. Massive outbreak of measles right now. As Bloomberg writes, from Disneyland to South Carolina, the highly contagious disease is spelling. But again, all Trump wants to talk about is arches, 250-foot arches, golden ballrooms.

15:53Ben Meiselas:And then he's denying that he knows anything about taking$500 million. So here's what's going on. With the release of the Epstein files, the partial release, we know that there is indeed a cabal of these oligarchs who were engaged in heinous and despicable conduct, inflicting untoward pain on people while using sex trafficking of underage girls as their currency. Sick, sick and depraved. You have Donald Trump focused on ballrooms and arches, getting us involved in never-ending wars, saying that he's vindicated even though he appears 38 ,000 times with some of the most vile allegations imaginable against him in the files.

16:46Ben Meiselas:And you have the American people suffering, struggling, living paycheck to paycheck, psychologically tortured if they're lucky enough to get a paycheck, manufacturing recession, jobs recession, inflation is high. And this regime doesn't care. There are different sets of rules that apply to the right-wing oligarchs in the Epstein files and to that crew while they screw everybody else over. Different rules apply to them. I think that's why people are so pissed and livid right now. Livid at this regime. It's why their approval is the lowest in presidential history. We're going to stick together. We're going to push back against this regime.

17:34Ben Meiselas:Hit subscribe. Let's get to 6 million and thanks for watching.

17:59Sweetgreen. Wrapped and ready, these handheld wraps pack bold flavor and 40 plus grams of protein into something hearty, satisfying, and built for life on the go. From craveable sauces to satisfying textures, they're designed to keep you going without slowing you down. So put that fork down. Try the new wraps today in app or at order.sweetgreen.com. Available at participating locations only.

18:29the same premium wireless for$15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do at mintmobile.com slash switch. Upfront payment of$45 for three month plan, equivalent to$15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available. Taxes and fees extra. Default terms at mintmobile.com.