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| Andrew Blum |
More revelations and fallout from the newly released three million Epstein documents have been fast and furious since January 30, setting off a tsunami of media coverage and sending people and institutions scrambling for PR cover over mentions of them in the convicted sex offender’s investigative files.
The media, members of Congress and survivors of the late Jeffrey Epstein have been diving into the redacted and unredacted files released and shared by the Department of Justice under the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed late in 2025.
Among the things Epstein-related that have come out recently, according to media reports:
- Donald Trump, once a friend of Epstein’s, is mentioned one million times in the unredacted files, versus 38,000 times in the redacted version.
- Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify under subpoena from Congress about Epstein. Meanwhile, the files showed that convicted Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell helped fund the Clinton Global Initiative.
- Maxwell took the fifth rather than testify to Congress. Her attorney said she would testify if granted clemency by Trump.
- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing calls for his resignation because of his appointment of Epstein friend Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to the U.S. Starmer’s Chief of Staff and Communications Director resigned.
- Prince Andrew, already implicated in the Epstein scandal and facing new pressure from the latest files, was kicked out of his house and King Charles is ready to support a police probe into his brother.
- Bard Karp was forced to resign as Managing Partner of white-shoe law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison after emails in the files showed he was in contact with Epstein.
- The Epstein survivors, who number in the hundreds, ran an accountability PSA around the Super Bowl, seeking even more files.
- The General Counsel at Goldman Sachs, Kathy Ruemmler, resigned. She’s also a former White House Counsel for President Barack Obama. In emails, she called Epstein “sweetie” and “Uncle Jeffrey.”
The names of other people from Washington, Wall Street, Hollywood, the legal world, entertainment, sports, politicians and leaders overseas, journalists and even PR people have shown up in the files.
What does all of this mean? For all of the above and others in the files, it’s not good. For the media, the Epstein files are a field day; for the people mentioned in them it is a PR nightmare.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal attorney for Trump, said it’s not a crime to email with or to party with Epstein. So, why then are so many people and institutions running to distance themselves from Epstein?
Because any connection to Epstein is toxic, much like it was for men in the #MeToo era.
Take, for example, some of the PR comments from people listed in the files as knowing, emailing or otherwise connecting with Epstein as they try to distance themselves.
“As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with,” said a statement from Steve Tisch, chairperson of the New York Giants of the NFL.
“I deeply regret ever associating with Jeffrey Epstein,” said real estate billionaire Andrew Farkas, who exchanged about 2,000 emails with Epstein over 15 years and owned a marina with him. “At no time have I conducted myself inappropriately.”
The list is as endless as the files.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, meanwhile, faced a blizzard of questions over the files when she testified to Congress.
Who’s left? After all the names that have come out so far, are there any more PR bombshells left to explode?
Well, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., says she’s seen the Epstein client list and claims that it will include Republicans and Democrats, the wealthy and powerful, media figures and current and former prime ministers and presidents.
One has to ask: What was the hold that Epstein had on all these people? He seemed to be sort of a modern-day Pied Piper and a truly depraved one.
But it is the perception of knowing Epstein and engaging him that is toxic. That is what’s impacting everyone whose names and emails came out in the files.
While there is not yet an allegation of concrete criminal wrongdoing in a lot of what has been released, just being in the Epstein files itself will continue to be bad PR.
Look for more revelations, more resignations, more PR statements and spin, and maybe—just maybe—some kind of in-depth investigations. PR will continue to play a role in how this plays out.
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Andrew Blum of AJB Communications is a PR consultant and media trainer who has directed proactive and crisis PR for a wide range of clients and issues, and has done PR for more than 40 authors, professional and financial services firms, NGOs, startups and PR agencies. email: [email protected] or X: @ajbcomms
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