How the Epstein Files Are Forcing a Reckoning with Power

The New Yorker staff writer Joshua Rothman joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the political and cultural fallout from the release of millions of documents from the criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. They talk about how years of institutional failures and scandals involving élites have shaped the way the material is being interpreted, why the sheer volume of information is raising more questions than answers, and how the fragmented and often chaotic flow of documents has left many Americans trying to make sense of the story for themselves. They also explore what the reaction to the files reveals about a growing belief that the powerful operate with relative impunity—and about the deepening cynicism toward institutions and powerful élites. 

This week’s reading: 

• “Are We Living in the Age of Epstein?,” by Joshua Rothman
• “Donald Trump’s State of the Union Was Long and Wrong,” by Susan B. Glasser
• “James Talarico Puts His Faith in Texas Voters,” by Tad Friend
• “Donald Trump’s Pantomime United Nations,” by Ishaan Tharoor
• “The Supreme Court’s Complicated Takedown of Trump’s Tariffs,” by Amy Davidson Sorkin

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

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