In a revealing new interview, prominent podcaster Joe Rogan has publicly mocked President Donald Trump for his dramatic reversal on the release of documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Rogan also shared the surprising admission that he had once contemplated purchasing Epstein's infamous private island.
Rogan's Mockery of Trump's Epstein Stance
During a wide-ranging conversation with comedian Brian Simpson released on Wednesday, Rogan expressed bewilderment at the Republican president's changing narrative. The Texas-based host directly questioned Trump's claim that the Epstein controversy was a "hoax," only to later demand an investigation and support releasing the files. "I heard there's no files. I heard it's a hoax," Rogan stated. "And then all of a sudden he's going to release the files. I thought there was no files. He wants an investigation now! Like, what is going on?"
This criticism targets a significant policy shift from the president. Trump had previously described the Epstein scandal as a Democratic-led hoax and even attempted to dissuade GOP lawmakers from supporting a bill that would compel the Department of Justice to release its Epstein records. However, in a sudden U-turn on Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social, "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide."
Following this, the House voted nearly unanimously on Tuesday to force the DOJ to make the files public. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, sending it to Trump's desk for his signature, which he has indicated he will provide.
The Political Fallout and New Investigations
Amid the renewed focus on Epstein, President Trump has maintained his innocence, stating he cut ties with Epstein years ago and was unaware of his criminal activities. In a related development, the president has instructed the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein's connections to high-profile figures, including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
The scrutiny on Summers intensified last week when a House committee released a cache of documents from Epstein's estate. These included private 2018 emails where Epstein referred to himself as Summers' "wing man." Summers, who has been married since 2005, released a statement on Wednesday saying, "I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused."
Rogan's Shocking Island Admission
In a lighter but equally startling segment of the two-hour podcast, Rogan disclosed that he had once explored the possibility of buying one of Epstein's most notorious properties: Little Saint James, a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Multiple women have testified that they were trafficked and abused on the island, which locals grimly nicknamed "Pedophile Island."
"We looked at that island," Rogan told Simpson. "We were trying to buy it," he admitted, before clarifying, "We were actually — I shouldn't say we were trying to buy it, we were thinking about it very briefly... But it was too expensive. It was like 55 [million]." When Simpson jokingly asked if it was "discounted now," Rogan quipped, "That's the discount!" The island was ultimately sold to billionaire Stephen Deckoff in 2023 for $60 million.
This revelation adds a curious footnote to Rogan's complex relationship with Trump. Despite endorsing him on the eve of the 2024 election, Rogan has not shied away from criticising the president's policies, including the deployment of the National Guard and aggressive immigration tactics.
