Tucker Carlson, former Fox News host, claims in an interview with Vanity Fair that President Donald Trump directly ordered the cover-up of government files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Carlson alleges he warned Trump about the political consequences of withholding these documents in the summer of 2025 when Trump faced scrutiny over his administration's handling of the Epstein case. The White House did not deny the claim but emphasized that Trump had been exonerated regarding Epstein and asserted that he had done more for Epstein’s victims than previous administrations.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Tucker Carlson claimed in an interview with Vanity Fair that President Donald Trump ordered the cover-up of government files related to Jeffrey Epstein. According to Carlson, he advised Trump in the summer of 2025 about releasing these documents amid intense scrutiny over the administration's handling of the situation. Carlson stated that he told Trump, "I don't understand why you would ever keep any of this stuff secret," and warned him of potential political repercussions from withholding the files. He further asserted that Trump’s decision to maintain secrecy originated directly from the president himself. This claim adds another layer to ongoing discussions about the Epstein case and its impact on Trump's presidency, with Carlson questioning why no criminal charges have been filed despite claims that "thousands of children got raped."
Written for “Trump And Epstein Cover Up” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
-
President Donald Trump directly ordered the cover-up of the government's Jeffrey Epstein files, ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed in a stunning interview.
left attributes blame to Trump for ordering a cover-up
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'The order to cover it up came from Trump,' the former Fox News host said of the government's Epstein file cover up. 'I asked him why. And he gave me this long, very emotional explanation that this was all a plot against him, like Russiagate'
left reiterates and emphasizes Carlson's claim about Trump ordering the cover-up
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'My position from the beginning with Trump, I said it to Trump, was, 'I don't understand why you would ever keep any of this stuff secret.' And I got like a bunch of different answers,' Carlson told the outlet.
left criticizes Trump's decision-making and secrecy
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'So I said, 'You shouldn't either.' In the end, it came from Trump directly.'
left reaffirms Carlson's claim that Trump ordered the cover-up
Leaning score -0.65 for article 13712 (high confidence, 4 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-16
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President Donald Trump directly ordered the cover-up of the government's Jeffrey Epstein files, ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson claimed in a stunning interview.
asserted
Carlson → sign → interview
Speaking with Vanity Fair, Carlson, 57, said that he warned the president about the political ramifications of withholding the files in the summer of 2025 when Trump was facing overwhelming scrutiny for his administration's handling of the late pedophile's files.
asserted
Trump → speak → files
'My position from the beginning with Trump, I said it to Trump, was, 'I don't understand why you would ever keep any of this stuff secret.'
asserted
you → say → stuff
And I got like a bunch of different answers,' Carlson told the outlet.
asserted
Carlson → get → outlet
'I don't feel any need to cover for Epstein,' the pundit and podcaster said, recounting his conversation with the president.
asserted
pundit → feel → president
'So I said, 'You shouldn't either.'
asserted
You → say → ?
In the end, it came from Trump directly.'
Though a deluge of reports has detailed the West Wing's reaction to the Epstein fallout, including meetings on the topic in the Situation Room, Carlson is the first to claim the order to throttle the release of the files came from Trump.
uncertain
order → come → Trump
'The order to cover it up came from Trump,' the former Fox News host said.
asserted
host → cover → Trump
'I asked him why.
asserted
I → ask → him
And he gave me this long, very emotional explanation that this was all a plot against him, like Russiagate.'
asserted
this → give → Russiagate
Responding to Carlson's claims, the White House did not directly deny the account, but noted how Trump has 'been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein' and that he has done more for the pedophile's victims 'than anyone before.'
uncertain
he → respond → anyone
The ex-Fox Newser-turned-podcaster has done a complete U-turn on his support for the Republican president in the last year, bashing him for the Epstein saga, the Iran war and for not being a true 'America first' conservative.
asserted
Newser → turn → saga
'The order to cover it up came from Trump,' the former Fox News host said of the government's Epstein file cover up.
asserted
host → cover → up
'I asked him why.
asserted
I → ask → him
And he gave me this long, very emotional explanation that this was all a plot against him, like Russiagate'
asserted
this → give → Russiagate
Carlson said that he spoke with Trump directly about releasing the files in the summer of 2025
Trump told Carlson that he believed the Epstein files saga was a plot against him
He has complained that former Attorney General Pam Bondi overpromised when she claimed last year to have had the Epstein files on her desk, and he's questioned why no one has been charged with crimes related to the pedophile if 'thousands of children got raped.'
asserted
thousands → say → children
Carlson has even gone on to apologize for supporting Trump to his viewers, noting in an April podcast episode how he will 'be tormented by it for a long time.'
'I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people.
asserted
I → go → people
Carlson has been so jilted by Trump and the Republicans that he claimed to have left the party this year.
asserted
he → claim → party
At a retreat at his Maine residence alongside other former MAGA politicians, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Congressman Thomas Massie, attendees discussed the creation of another political party.
asserted
attendees → include → party
Some at the summit even suggested that the 57-year-old should lead the potential party, though none of the ex-Trump allies have shared details of the new political movement.
uncertain
none → suggest → movement
Carlson's quest to get the president to release the Epstein files last summer was not an individual effort - other notable figures in the president's orbit also urged him to go public with the documents.
asserted
figures → get → documents
Vice President JD Vance argued in a summer 2025 Situation Room meeting on the debacle that the administration should release all its files on Epstein before Congress had the momentum to force their publication, the New York Times reported.
asserted
Times → argue → publication
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