THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent Trump Epstein Scandal Takes Brutal Turn as MAGA Slips into Tailspin
Feb 27, 2026
Ana Marie Cox, political writer and contributing editor who dissects right-wing elites and scandals. She walks through The New York Times revelations about missing Epstein files and why that coverage intensifies scrutiny of Trump. She explains how MAGA media is fracturing, why attempts to blame Clinton are backfiring, and how the story could splinter the movement.
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Times Turns Epstein Revelations Into Blockbuster
- The New York Times treated missing Epstein files tied to an alleged teenage assault by Donald Trump as a front-page blockbuster.
- Ana Marie Cox says the Times' depth signals seriousness and will drive wider media and public attention beyond MAGA echo chambers.
Podcasts Will Force The Story Into MAGA Spaces
- Alternative right-wing podcasts will spread and magnify the Epstein revelations even where Fox ignores them.
- Ana Marie Cox predicts Joe Rogan and bro podcasts will discuss the tale, forcing the story into broader MAGA consumption.
Hillary Distraction Feels Out Of Touch
- MAGA's fixation on old targets like Hillary Clinton feels generationally out of step and ineffective.
- Cox argues younger MAGA-aligned listeners barely remember Clinton-era politics, so dragging her into Epstein hearings is a poor distraction.