Comedian and political commentator Jon Stewart has waded into the growing controversy surrounding Donald Trump's appearance in the recently revealed Jeffrey Epstein emails, asserting he knows the correspondence is genuine because of the frantic deflection efforts from the former president's camp.
The Daily Show Monologue on Epstein Files
During Monday's episode of The Daily Show, Stewart addressed what he termed "the very normal and not shady handling of the Epstein files". His comments came just ahead of a crucial House of Representatives vote scheduled for Tuesday, 18 November, which could lead to the full release of documents related to the disgraced financier.
Stewart pointed directly to the behaviour of Trump's allies and conservative media. "You know it's real because his allies are working overtime to distract," the late-night host stated, highlighting that Fox News largely avoided the topic. Instead, he noted, the network focused on stories like the socialist takeover of Seattle, the Treasury phasing out the penny, and Kamala Harris's fondness for carbohydrates.
Trump's Contradictory Stance and Past Comments
The newly released emails, which mention Trump due to his past friendship with Epstein decades ago, include one particularly damning message where the late convicted sex offender claimed the president "knew about the girls". Despite this, Trump told reporters last week that he "knows nothing" about the emails, though he confirmed on Monday, 17 November, that he would sign a bill to release the files if it passes both the House and Senate.
Stewart labelled the president's response as "flailing" and questioned the sincerity of his cooperation. "If he had nothing to hide, he could have declassified and released these files at any time," Stewart argued, reminding viewers of Trump's own past assertion on Fox News in September 2022 that a president can declassify documents "just by saying, 'It's declassified.'"
The Political Fallout and Impending Vote
While Stewart was careful to clarify that Trump's inclusion in the emails is not direct evidence of guilt, the political ramifications are significant. The House of Representatives is expected to vote on a bill designed to force the Justice Department to release all files related to the Epstein case.
Trump has continued to vehemently deny any involvement, stating, "We have nothing to do with Epstein... All of his friends were Democrats," a claim that sets the stage for a major political confrontation as the vote looms.
