- 12 minutes ago
From denials to regrets, the reactions are as varied as the names involved. Join us as we examine how high-profile figures responded to being named in the Epstein files! From Elon Musk's social media statements to Donald Trump's tense press briefing, we're looking at how celebrities handled their connections to one of the most notorious cases in recent history.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00They've been accused by a multitude of women of a multitude of wrongdoings and nothing has happened
00:06to any of them. Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're looking at how celebrities and public
00:12figures across the cultural spectrum responded to the 2026 Department of Justice release of
00:18Epstein related documents. You know it's factually true that I was only at dinners you know I never
00:23went to the island I never met any women. Elon Musk This is an email from Elon Musk to Jeffrey
00:31Epstein asking what day or night will be the wildest party on your island. Rather than stay
00:37silent after his name appeared in the DOJ's 2026 release of Epstein Files Elon Musk publicly addressed
00:43the situation on social media. On his platform X Musk wrote that quote no one pushed harder than me
00:50to have the Epstein files released and I'm glad that has finally happened welcoming the transparency.
00:55He further said he had quote very little correspondence with Epstein and that he
00:59repeatedly declined invitations to visit Epstein's island or to fly on his plane. Acknowledging that
01:05mid-2010's emails could be misinterpreted he stressed that what mattered to him most was
01:09seeing authorities attempt to prosecute those who committed serious crimes with Epstein.
01:13I don't care about that but what I do care about is that we at least attempt to prosecute those who
01:18committed serious crimes with Epstein. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The January release
01:23of Epstein related documents has renewed scrutiny of Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's father
01:28the now disgraced ex-Prince Andrew. And of course it would be a shock to no one that they are feeling
01:34appalled and embarrassed. According to royal author Robert Jobson the sisters feel quote duped by their dad
01:41believing he had cut ties with Epstein only to see evidence suggesting otherwise. This includes a 2011 email
01:48in which Andrew wrote quote it would seem we are in this together. Sources report the sisters have
01:53been emotionally affected by the Epstein release especially as new details involving their mother
01:58Sarah Ferguson surfaced. Sarah Ferguson's charity Sarah's Trust has announced that it will close for
02:03the foreseeable future. This comes just days after new details emerged about her friendship with
02:09Jeffrey Epstein. The sisters are keeping a low profile as the controversy around their family
02:13continues to unfold. They've grown up with this and if anybody was hoping they would escape any
02:19further scrutiny they were sadly wrong and that scrutiny will continue I predict for some time to
02:25come. Russell Wilson. Russell Wilson claps back after his name appears in the Epstein files. When a 2019
02:32email involving NFL quarterback Russell Wilson surfaced in the latest Epstein file dump it sparked much
02:37confusion online. It turned out the context was far narrower than many assumed. The reference came from an
02:43email by Jeffrey Epstein's pilot discussing Wilson's interest in Epstein's Gulfstream G4 jet. There was no
02:49personal contact with Epstein himself and there's no suggestion Wilson ever met him. Epstein exchanged
02:55messages with his personal pilot Larry Vysosky about Wilson purchasing his Gulfstream jet. In January 2019
03:02Vysosky wrote to Epstein saying that Wilson was calling quote non-stop after viewing the plane
03:07however Wilson quickly took to social media to clear things up posting quote nope absolutely not
03:13not today Satan. He noted that a broker once offered him a plane but he had no idea who owned it and
03:19never purchased it. Russell's publicist Stephanie Jones told the Seattle Times February 1st the NFL star
03:25never purchased the aircraft nor was he aware that any aircraft discussed by third parties had any
03:31connection to Epstein. Whoopi Goldberg. On The View Whoopi Goldberg took a notably frank stance during
03:37discussions about the ongoing release of documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Rather than focus on
03:41whether specific names appeared Sheen directed criticism at broader cultural reaction arguing
03:46that silence from some enabled the abuse to persist. We were complicit in all of this. Goldberg stated on
03:55air that quote we were complicit when women didn't call out wrongdoing or support survivors emphasizing
04:00that people with influence should have spoken up sooner and more forcefully. Women did not stand up for
04:06the women. Women saw what was going on and didn't say stop this. They didn't come out and say this is
04:12going on. Her comments sparked debate among her co-hosts with Joy Behar questioning the broad use of we
04:17but Goldberg stood by her point that accountability requires everyone. Until we stand up until women
04:24stand up and say hey never again not anymore. Tony Hawk. Do a kickflip out of my board. When his name
04:33appeared in the newly released Epstein files skateboarding icon Tony Hawk faced a wave of
04:38online speculation alleging one of his weddings took place on Jeffrey Epstein's private island
04:42in an Instagram stories post listing locations in California, Fiji, and Ireland. He clarified that
04:48one of the photographers at his 2006 Fiji wedding happened to be named Mark Epstein but is not related
04:54to Jeffrey Epstein. Hawk stressed that he has never met Epstein or visited his island calling the rumor a
05:00quote narrative of nonsense and emphasized that the misinformation was easily disproven with
05:05publicly verifiable details. Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway. The latest Epstein file release
05:12showed extensive email correspondence between Crown Princess Mette Marit and Jeffrey Epstein with her
05:17name appearing in numerous instances. With Crown Princess Mette Marit exchanging warm emails with Epstein
05:23after his conviction spending four days at his Miami beach house. In a statement issued by the Royal House of
05:29Norway, Mette Marit said she quote, must take responsibility for not having investigated
05:34Epstein's background more thoroughly and described maintaining contact as quote, poor judgment she
05:39quote, deeply regrets. She also expressed quote, deep sympathy and solidarity with the victims of the abuse
05:45committed by Jeffrey Epstein and apologized to those she had quote, disappointed, including the king and
05:50the queen. There's no telling what might continue to be uncovered as people continue to pull through
05:56the more than three and a half million documents, Eddie, but it's certain the cause will only grow
06:00louder. Bill Gates. You've no doubt seen the allegations, including some of them from the last
06:0524 to 48 hours. Are they true? After the new Epstein related documents showed draft emails penned by
06:11Jeffrey Epstein about him, tech mogul Bill Gates publicly responded to the resurfaced material.
06:16You know, it's factually true that I was only at dinners. You know, I never went to the island. I
06:21never met any women. And so, you know, the more that comes out, the more clear it'll be
06:25that although the time was a mistake, it had nothing to do with that kind of behavior.
06:31In a televised interview with Nine News Australia, Gates described his prior meetings with Epstein,
06:36which were focused on discussing philanthropy and fundraising as a quote,
06:40huge mistake. He also said he quote, regrets every minute he spent with him.
06:45You know, it just reminds me, you know, every minute I spent with him, I regret and I,
06:49you know, apologize that I did that. Gates strongly denied the allegations in the emails,
06:54calling them quote, false, noting it was written by Epstein to himself,
06:58never sent and contained unverified claims. That email was never sent. The email is,
07:04you know, false. So I don't know what his thinking was there. You know, was he trying to
07:10attack me in some way? He emphasized he never visited Epstein's private island,
07:16never met any women through him, and had no involvement in any of Epstein's criminal activities.
07:22Melinda French Gates. I have to acknowledge the elephant in the room at this moment.
07:27Your ex-husband, Bill, is named in the newest tranche of Epstein files.
07:33Speaking of Bill Gates, his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, described reading the allegations
07:38about him as bringing back, quote, very, very painful times from their marriage.
07:42For me, it's personally hard whenever those details come up, right, because
07:46brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage, but I have moved on from that.
07:54In an NPR interview, Melinda said the details revived, quote,
07:58unbelievable sadness, and underscored the emotional impact of seeing the issue discussed
08:02publicly years after their divorce. She also spoke about her concerns for Jeffrey Epstein's victims,
08:07saying no girl should ever have been put in the situations created by him and his circle.
08:11And again, I'm able to take my own sadness and look at those young girls and say, my God,
08:17how did they, how did that happen to those girls, right?
08:22She further stated that those referenced in the documents need to answer questions directly
08:27themselves. Can't even begin to know all of it. Those questions are for those people and for
08:32even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me.
08:35John Stewart.
08:36It was a veritable who's who of who you imagine wanted someone to touch their who-who.
08:43If John Stewart was the last name you expected to see in the Epstein files,
08:47you're not alone. Stewart thought so too.
08:49I am also in the files. We all searched our names, right?
08:58His mention came from a 2015 email between producer Barry Josephson and Jeffrey Epstein
09:03about a potential project for Woody. He pitched someone like John Stewart as a possible host
09:08or narrator. On The Daily Show, Stewart took exception, jokingly saying,
09:12Excuse me?
09:23I am offended. Somebody like John Stewart?
09:32Or John Stewart?
09:34Of course, Stewart would also go on to critique the document release, calling it, quote,
09:39Groundhog Day for repetitive headlines and questioning why powerful figures named in
09:44the files continue to face little or no accountability.
09:47They've been accused by a multitude of women of a multitude of wrongdoings and nothing has
09:52happened to any of them.
09:55Donald Trump
10:12That he was not friendly with Jeffrey Epstein
10:15and that he's accusing others of falsely accusing him and then he's threatening potential
10:20litigation against others who've connected him to Epstein.
10:23If the 2026 Epstein files were supposed to lay old ghosts to rest, Donald Trump had a
10:29strong reaction when pressed about them.
10:30You are the worst reporter.
10:32President Trump lashes out at CNN anchor Caitlin Collins as she peppers him with uncomfortable
10:38questions about Jeffrey Epstein.
10:40In a tense February 3rd, 2026 press briefing, CNN's Caitlin Collins asked him about the Department
10:46of Justice's handling of the documents and what he would say to Epstein's survivors.
10:50Trump responded by attacking her personally, calling her, quote, the worst reporter and remarking
10:55he had never seen her smile.
10:57I don't think I've ever seen you smile.
10:59I've known you for 10 years.
11:01I don't think I've ever seen a smile.
11:02I'm asking you about survivors.
11:03You know why you're not smiling?
11:05Because you know you're not telling the truth.
11:07He went on to dismiss the topic as beside the point and insisted the country should, quote,
11:12get on to something else now that everything has been released.
11:14Not only does it absolve me, it's the opposite of what people were hoping, you know, the radical
11:20left, that Wolf, who's a third-rate writer, was conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to hurt me,
11:28politically or otherwise, and that came through loud and clear.
11:32Did any of these responses to the latest Epstein file dumps surprise you?
11:36Let us know in the comments.
Comments