US Department of Justice/ MEGA (left) ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA (right)

Tucker Carlson has accused President Donald Trump of personally ordering his administration to withhold government records connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The former Fox News host claimed he questioned Trump about the controversy as the president faced mounting pressure over his administration’s handling of the files in the summer of 2025.

Carlson said Trump offered several explanations before allegedly comparing the situation to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The White House did not directly deny Carlson’s account but maintained that Trump has been cleared of wrongdoing related to Epstein.

Tucker Carlson Says The Order Came From Donald Trump

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According to the Daily Mail, the 57-year-old broadcaster said he warned Trump that withholding Epstein-related documents could carry significant political consequences. “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 said.

Carlson said he saw no reason to shield Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. “I don’t feel any need to cover for Epstein,” Carlson said while recounting the conversation. “So I said, ‘You shouldn’t either.’ In the end, it came from Trump directly.”

Carlson then made his allegation more explicit. “The order to cover it up came from Trump,” he claimed. “I asked him why. And he gave me this long, very emotional explanation that this was all a plot against him, like Russiagate.”

The White House Responded To Carlson’s Allegation

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According to the Daily Mail, the White House did not directly deny Carlson’s account of the alleged conversation. However, the administration insisted that Trump has “been totally exonerated on anything relating to Epstein.” The White House also said the president has done more for Epstein’s victims “than anyone before.”

Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing connected to Epstein. Carlson’s allegation concerns the administration’s handling of government records, not an allegation that Trump participated in Epstein’s crimes.

• Bill Gates claims Jeffrey Epstein sought influence over him through an alleged blackmail attempt.
• Newly uncovered Epstein files have shed fresh light on Sarah Ferguson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Bill Gates’ embarrassing private text messages have surfaced in a report connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
• A Jeffrey Epstein insider reportedly wants to tell all but fears the potential cost of speaking out.
• A model scout linked to Jeffrey Epstein was found dead before investigators could question him.

The Epstein Controversy Deepened Carlson’s Break With Trump

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Carlson’s remarks represent another escalation in his public split from Trump and the Republican Party. Once one of the president’s most influential supporters in conservative media, Carlson has increasingly criticized Trump’s administration over the Epstein files and foreign policy.

He previously complained that former Attorney General Pam Bondi raised expectations when she said Epstein-related material was sitting on her desk awaiting review. Carlson also questioned why additional people had not been charged if “thousands of children got raped.”

His criticism became more personal during an April podcast episode, when he apologized to his audience for his previous support of Trump. Carlson said he would “be tormented by it for a long time,” adding, “I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people. It was not intentional.”

Carlson has also claimed that he no longer considers himself a Republican, marking a notable departure from the party whose candidates and policies he supported for years.

Former Trump Allies Reportedly Discussed A New Political Party

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Carlson’s frustration with the Republican Party has reportedly extended beyond his podcast. According to the Daily Mail, several former Trump allies gathered at Carlson’s home in Maine for a political retreat. Attendees reportedly included Rep. Thomas Massie and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

The group allegedly discussed creating a new political party as dissatisfaction with Trump and the Republican establishment continued to grow. Some attendees reportedly suggested that Carlson could lead the proposed movement. However, the participants have not publicly announced a new party or provided detailed plans for launching one.

JD Vance Reportedly Supported Releasing The Files

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Carlson was reportedly not the only prominent figure who urged Trump to release more Epstein-related material. The New York Times previously reported that Vice President JD Vance argued during a summer 2025 Situation Room meeting that the administration should release its Epstein files before Congress gained enough momentum to force their publication.

Congressional interest in Epstein’s financial and personal network has continued. On September 15, 2026, the House Oversight Committee voted unanimously to recommend holding billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress over its Epstein investigation. Black has denied knowing about Epstein’s criminal activity and has denied wrongdoing.

The recommendation must still be considered by the full House.

The Tucker Carlson Claims Trump ‘Directly’ Ordered Epstein Files Cover-Up first appeared on The Blast