In a lengthy State of the Union address this week, President Donald Trump set a record for the longest speech in history, yet "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert pointed out a glaring omission on Wednesday. Colbert noted that Trump's two-hour presentation, which he humorously described as a "hockey-humping, immigrant-grumbling jambaroo," completely avoided any mention of the Epstein files.
Missing Files and Redactions
Colbert referred to the documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who was once a close associate of Trump. The Trump administration had initially pledged to release these files upon taking office but instead engaged in stonewalling tactics. When Congress enacted legislation to compel disclosure, the administration was found to be withholding files and applying excessive redactions.
"It is well-known that big, incriminating stuff has been redacted from what Pam Bondi released," Colbert asserted. He further revealed that the Department of Justice has withheld or removed over 50 pages of material from the Epstein files that pertain to Donald Trump.
New York Times Report Details
Citing a New York Times investigation, Colbert highlighted that the Justice Department suppressed what the newspaper termed "key materials." These included FBI memos from interviews with a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted by both Trump and Epstein while she was a minor. Although Trump denies any wrongdoing, Colbert emphasized the peculiar nature of these missing files, especially since the law forbids redactions based on embarrassment or reputational harm.
The Times reported that an index indicates the FBI conducted four interviews and prepared summaries for each. However, only one summary, which details allegations against Epstein, is present in the released files; the remaining three are conspicuously absent.
Colbert's Scandal Assessment
"Holy unholy. This would be the worst scandal in presidential history. That the files are missing should be the biggest story in the world," Colbert declared. He lamented that public fatigue and desensitization to Trump's controversies have dulled the impact of such revelations, causing people to react with indifference rather than outrage.
Colbert's Wednesday night monologue delved deeper into these issues, underscoring the ongoing scrutiny of the Epstein case and its connections to political figures.
