Skip to content

Vice President JD Vance tells Joe Rogan Epstein had ties to Israeli intelligence, says files were mishandled

cultureJul 16, 2026572,759

On The Joe Rogan Experience, Vice President JD Vance said the Trump administration “absolutely” mishandled communications around the Jeffrey Epstein files and called the communications screwup a political misstep rather than a coverup. Vance pointed to former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, citing her comment that an alleged “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now” and the Justice Department’s distribution of binders labeled “The Epstein files: Phase 1” and “Declassified.” Vance said Bondi was “roasted” and that her statements led people to mistrust the administration’s transparency efforts. Vance also told Rogan that Jeffrey Epstein had “connections” to Israeli intelligence, a claim reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and described himself as “one of the O.G. Epstein conspiracy theorists.” Congress had moved last year to compel release of a large trove of Justice Department documents, and the Justice Department began releasing those records in late December, including photos, call logs, grand jury testimony and interview transcripts. Vance framed the episode as a communications failure that damaged trust rather than proof the administration hid material evidence.

Pam Spaulding
@pamspaulding.bsky.social

👀 As expected, Todd Blanche proves there is no actual DOJ concern about investigating sexual predators connected to #Epstein. He works for one man only... adjudicated sexual predator Donald Trump. #CoverUp Look at how Blanche treated survivors, via Lara Blume McGee about the meeting.


"Today, Epstein survivors confronted Todd Blanche — and he treated it like a perfunctory audition for votes, not accountability. Blanche was condescending, repeatedly interrupted and tried to gaslight survivors instead of explaining why DOJ released materials that revealed survivors' identities. He offered no real plan to investigate anyone beyond Epstein and Maxwell and gave no reason to believe the remaining files aren't vital to exposing other perpetrators and enablers. Todd Blanche is unfit to be attorney general - Senator Thom Tillis and the Senate must vote no." Lara Blume McGee
7944d ago
3 sources