The Daily Beast Podcast

Why Trump Legal Threat Against Me Is Empty: Wolff

10 snips
Feb 4, 2026
Michael Wolff, author and journalist known for bestselling books on Trump, discusses the Epstein files and why Trump’s lawsuit threats are mostly posturing. He explores Epstein’s role as an information broker, surprising social ties, claims linking Melania to Epstein, and how Trump’s fixation on 2020 and federalizing elections could shape 2026.
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INSIGHT

Nemesises Trump Uses To Deflect

  • Donald Trump repeatedly names personal nemeses to avoid addressing allegations directly.
  • Michael Wolff argues Trump uses lawsuits as punishment rather than a sincere legal strategy.
ANECDOTE

Early Transactional Access With Trump

  • Michael Wolff recounts friendly, transactional interactions with Trump from his New York Magazine days.
  • He says Trump confused transactional media access with genuine friendship.
ANECDOTE

Epstein Tried To Help Bill Gates' Image

  • Wolff describes Epstein's attempts to rehabilitate Bill Gates' image via writing and meetings in 2014.
  • He notes the outreach followed a 2013 breakdown in Gates-Epstein relations, according to released emails.
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