The Sinister Truth About My Interview With Epstein | The Daily Beast Podcast

George Rush joins Joanna Coles to revisit the moment he began digging into Jeffrey Epstein after the financier’s Palm Beach sweetheart deal, uncovering testimony from Virginia Giuffre, allegations involving Ghislaine Maxwell, and mounting fears Epstein was still recruiting girls. Rush, the famed New York gossip columnist, describes how his reporting triggered pressure from the newspaper’s owner after Epstein intervened—before landing a rare phone interview in which Epstein blamed victims, minimized the charges, and tried to steer coverage toward their lawyer. With hindsight, Rush reflects on Epstein’s manipulation tactics, his push to keep Maxwell out of print, and the explosive tape that nearly sent the reporter to jail when attorneys fought to obtain it. 00:00 - Epstein's Disregard For His Victims 03:47 - How Rush First Investigated Epstein 07:34 - Epstein Calls Owner To Kill Story 11:21 - First Audio: Epstein Tries To Charm Press 15:08 - Epstein Pushes Lawyer Conspiracy Theory 18:55 - Confronting Epstein On Guilty Plea 22:42 - Epstein Blames Victims In Interview 26:29 - “They Want To Get Paid Again” Clip 30:16 - Protecting Ghislaine Maxwell From Story 34:03 - Publisher Pressure And What Got Cut 37:50 - Why The Story Barely Made Waves 41:37 - Epstein Plays Victim Again On Tape 45:24 - Red Flags Rush Missed At The Time 49:11 - Looking Back At The Epstein Interview #epsteinfiles #news #podcast 📖 Title: The Sinister Truth About My Interview With Epstein 👂 Podcast: The Daily Beast Podcast 📺 Episode: 669 🎧 Format: Full Podcast 📅 Date: March 25, 2026 👨‍💼 Guest: George Rush 🎙️ Host: Joanna Coles Click here to become an official member of the Daily Beast's YouTube community: https://youtube.com/@TheDailyBeast/join Have a question or comment for us? Send us an email: [email protected] The Daily Beast is committed to accurate, fair, independent, fast, and accountable journalism. We seek the truth and report it honestly, without fear or favor. We ground robust and provocative opinions in fact. Subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheDailyBeast?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedailybeast Share this video on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/thedailybeast.bsky.social Share this video on X: https://twitter.com/thedailybeast Share this video on Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedailybeast