Whoopi Goldberg Confronts Social Media Storm Over Epstein Files Appearance
Whoopi Goldberg is navigating a torrent of criticism across social media platforms following her recent attempt to clarify her connection to Jeffrey Epstein during an episode of The View. The 70-year-old television host acknowledged on Tuesday that her name surfaced in a 2013 email exchange between Epstein and an unidentified individual, though she firmly denied any misconduct.
Social Media Reactions Question Transparency
Observers on platform X expressed significant skepticism regarding Goldberg's explanation. Conservative talk radio host Andrew Wilkow remarked, 'Sunny Hostin's family profited from the slave trade, and now we discover Whoopi Goldberg was flying around with Epstein.' Political commentator Tara Bull addressed her 1.4 million followers, stating, 'If Whoopi was genuinely transparent, she would have disclosed this information before Trump released the Epstein files.'
Comedian Tim Young cautioned his 1.1 million followers, 'Whoopi Goldberg requested to use Jeffrey Epstein's plane... It's documented in the files. Perhaps she should refrain from commenting.' The email in question explicitly mentions Goldberg by name, appearing to be written by an associate within Epstein's circle who inquired about securing a private jet for her travel to a charity event in Monaco.
Delayed Response and Media Scrutiny
Goldberg addressed the revelation two weeks after it was initially reported by Nicholas Fondacaro, an associate editor at the Media Research Center. A NewsBusters investigation uncovered emails showing a person in Epstein's network contacting the financier on Goldberg's behalf to arrange a Gulfstream G2 jet for her attendance at a White Feather Foundation charity event in 2013.
Young highlighted the delay in Goldberg's public statement, noting, 'They handle it the way you'd expect. They don't really address it.' In comments to the Daily Mail on Wednesday, Fondacaro echoed this sentiment, criticizing ABC for largely ignoring the story and delaying Goldberg's response. He pointed out that Goldberg failed to explain why Epstein's jet was requested and that The View shifted its narrative from implying complicity to downplaying the significance.
Co-hosts Also Featured in Documents
The backlash intensified following Goldberg's Tuesday explanation, which came two weeks after her name was first uncovered. Notably, four of Goldberg's six co-hosts were incidentally mentioned in the documents through sources like articles and press releases. Joy Behar appeared three times, including references to headlines about her interaction with comedian Robin Williams and an invitation list for a party attended by Ghislaine Maxwell.
During the clarification segment, Behar interjected, telling the audience, 'Anybody can be on this list.' Goldberg had abruptly announced, 'Now, in the name of transparency... my name is in the files.' After reading the email aloud, co-host Sunny Hostin, who was not named in the Department of Justice release, defended Goldberg by emphasizing that Epstein—already a convicted sex offender at the time—declined the request with a misspelled reply: 'No thnaks.'
Goldberg's Defense and Broader Context
Goldberg insisted she was neither a friend nor a girlfriend of Epstein, quipping that he would have considered her 'too old.' She added, 'I was not only too old, but it was at a time where you used to need facts before making accusations.' Behar quickly noted that Donald Trump's name appeared 38,000 times in the files, though a mention does not imply wrongdoing.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed in a letter on Saturday that all Epstein files have been released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, listing names of government officials and politically exposed persons appearing in various contexts. The Daily Mail has reached out to ABC News for comment, as The View approaches its 30th year on air.
