Reason.com

How the Epstein Files Became the Ultimate Conspiracy Theory

Feb 20, 2026Center Right

Michael Shermer examines the psychology behind pattern seeking, the limits of suspicion, and how the Epstein files fuel conspiracy thinking.

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Justice Department defends decision not to release, unredact more Epstein files

NewsNation

8 hours ago

Justice Department defends decision not to release, unredact more Epstein files

The DOJ’s response came in the final hours of a court-ordered deadline to remove redactions in at least a dozen documents.

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The Hill News

8 hours ago

Justice Department defends decision not to release, unredact more Epstein files

The Justice Department (DOJ) declined on Thursday to release additional unredacted records from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, telling a federal judge that it has already adequately complied with the law. The DOJ’s response came in the final hours of a court-ordered deadline to remove redactions in at least a dozen documents…

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‘So dumb!’: Reporter who nailed Trump over Epstein unloads another thundering beatdown

Alternet.org

22 hours ago

‘So dumb!’: Reporter who nailed Trump over Epstein unloads another thundering beatdown

Reporter Katie Phang recently nabbed a huge win against interim AG Todd Blanche and his crusade to keep the Epstein files under wraps. After months of stalling by the administration of President Donald Trump and ignoring the letter of a new law demanding the release of the sex-trafficker’s files, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan opened the floodgates on Trump’s longtime friend. Sullivan sided with former MS NOW show host Katie Phang in her lawsuit demanding the Trump administration adhere to the Epstein Transparency Act.Now, fresh off her big win, Phang tells “Left Hook” podcaster Wajahat Ali that Blanche, Trump and his entire crew appeared to be a bunch of idiots who had no real plan to protect Trump from being implicated in the Epstein files.“They're damned if they do and damned if they don't,” howled Phang. “You either produce it and now we have information that I and others can track down and do more reporting on, or you don't … it means they're trying to hide s——.”“If I were them I'd comply,” Phang told Ali. “I'd say ‘here are the names of the co-conspirators. Here are the names of the bad people that sent these terrible f—— emails. Here are the names of possible perpetrators. Have a nice day.’ But they are so dumb the way that they play this game. They had no f—— strategy and p—— off a federal judge like Emmett Sullivan … [who] told [Trump conspiracist] Michael Flynn to his face ‘you are a traitor to this country.’”Sullivan’s ruling means Blanche now must explain to a court why he shouldn't be forced to release names redacted from emails and documents that reference potentially damning videos and allegations of abuse of minors. Also included in redacted info includes the potential names of Epstein’s co-conspirators, as well as potentially damaging FBI interview notes from a victim who claimed Epstein introduced her to President Donald Trump when she was only 13.Phang told Ali that she had no doubt Sullivan put Trump administration in terrible danger.“Starting last year right … in the spring of 2025 they convene in the situation room about the Epstein files and it's not just the vice president of the United States, JD Vance there,” said Phang. “It was also then-attorney general Pam Bondi. It was FBI director Kash Patel. It's the deputy director of the FBI, Dan Bongino. It was then-deputy attorney general Todd Blanche. … It's the White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. It's the White House council … and a slew of other people. If something [fatal] had happened to that situation room pretty much … the entirety of the trump administration upper echelon would be f—— exterminated.”“The fact that you convene all those people repeatedly in the Situation Room you don't have to be a Rhodes scholar to figure out that there is something politically toxically horribly bad for the President of the United States [in those files],” she said.Phang added that she deliberately targeted Blanche in the suit to make him the prime target.“Unlike in other lawsuits when the DOJ is being sued and they parade in some junior federal prosecutor who has to go hat-in-hand to sit there and explain what happened or why they didn't do it, I only sued one person,” Phang said gleefully. “So, Todd Blanche … is gonna have to show up. You can't just send in some lackey.”

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Here’s Your Movie Guide For Hosting The Ultimate America 250 Film Fest

The Federalist

Yesterday

Here’s Your Movie Guide For Hosting The Ultimate America 250 Film Fest

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with American stories featuring the good, true, and beautiful -- and the occasional epic chase scene?

Far Right

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Harvard professor known for alien theories to lead White House UFO council

Politics - CBSNews.com

2 days ago

Harvard professor known for alien theories to lead White House UFO council

Avi Loeb, a Harvard astronomer who has made headlines with his theories about alien encounters, will lead a White House scientific advisory council on UFOs.

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DOJ files lawsuit against Virginia over ‘assault weapon’ ban

Washington Examiner

2 days ago

DOJ files lawsuit against Virginia over ‘assault weapon’ ban

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Virginia on Wednesday over a proposed “assault weapons” ban signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) that was previously meant to take effect the same day. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon filed the lawsuit against the commonwealth and the Virginia State Police, alleging Virginia “besmirched” the Second Amendment […]

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Alarm bells over conflict of interest as filing shows Trump raked in $2bn in 2025

US news | The Guardian

2 days ago

Alarm bells over conflict of interest as filing shows Trump raked in $2bn in 2025

Crypto ventures eclipse much of property portfolio, with revenue also coming from Trump-branded productsUS politics – live updatesDonald Trump has raked in more than $1bn from his crypto businesses since returning to the White House, according to financial disclosures, ringing alarm bells over a conflict of interest.According to a 927-page document released on Tuesday by the US Office of Government Ethics, in all Trump made more than $2.2bn last year, benefiting from a vast global network of businesses and investments. Continue reading...

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Trump Made More Than $1 Billion in Crypto Income, Filing Shows

NBC News Politics

2 days ago

Trump Made More Than $1 Billion in Crypto Income, Filing Shows

There is growing scrutiny over President Donald Trump’s skyrocketing income while in office after newly-released financial disclosure forms reveal he made $1.4 billion from crypto and meme coin-related businesses. The White House insists the president’s actions are not a conflict of interest and that they’ve been “in the best interest of the American people.” NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY.

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How the Epstein Files Became the Ultimate Conspiracy Theory

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How the Epstein Files Became the Ultimate Conspiracy Theory

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