Trump's Epstein Flip-Flop and Greene's Strategic Reinvention

Resources

Resources & Recommendations

Books

• "Fear: Trump in the White House" by Bob Woodward - This book was mentioned in the context of Trump's reaction to the backlash over his "very fine people on both sides" comment after the Charlottesville rally, where he considered his statement condemning racism to be his "biggest fucking mistake."

People Mentioned

• Jeffrey Epstein - A financier whose files are the subject of a bill to force their release, due to his involvement in a sex trafficking ring.
• Bill Clinton (Former US President) - Mentioned by Trump in connection to Epstein's ties to Democrats, though an email released contradicted Trump's claim about Clinton visiting Epstein's island.
• Reed Hoffman - Mentioned by Trump as someone with ties to Epstein, but Hoffman has publicly called for the release of the files.
• Larry Summers - Mentioned by Trump as someone with ties to Epstein.
• Marjorie Taylor Greene (US Representative) - Discussed at length regarding her changing relationship with Donald Trump, her support for the Epstein files release, and her evolving political stance.
• Thomas Massie (US Representative) - Co-sponsored the bill to release the Epstein files with Ro Khanna and was targeted by Trump for his personal life.
• Ro Khanna (US Representative) - Co-sponsored the bill to release the Epstein files and was interviewed about the political developments surrounding it.
• Nick Fuentes - A white nationalist figure whose appearance on Tucker Carlson's show sparked debate and was mentioned in the context of Trump's stance on far-right figures.
• Kanye West - Mentioned in relation to Nick Fuentes' presence at Mar-a-Lago, as Fuentes reportedly accompanied West to a dinner with Trump.
• Yair Rosenberg (Journalist) - Wrote an article in The Atlantic posing open questions to Marjorie Taylor Greene about her past controversial views.
• David Hogg - A Parkland shooting survivor, mentioned in the context of Marjorie Taylor Greene's past actions of harassing him.
• Elon Musk - Mentioned as a figure with whom Trump previously had a "Maga breakup."
• Pam Bondi (Former Florida Attorney General) - Mentioned in the context of her involvement in prior investigations related to Epstein and Trump's directive to investigate Democrats.
• Kash Patel - Mentioned in the context of an unsuccessful attempt to convince Lauren Boebert to oppose the release of the Epstein files.
• Lauren Boebert (US Representative) - Mentioned as being pressured by Trump to oppose the release of the Epstein files.
• John Thune (US Senator) - Initially expressed reluctance to bring the Epstein files bill to a vote in the Senate but later seemed to change his stance.
• Kevin Hassett (White House Economist) - Interviewed about the administration's economic policies and struggled to defend claims about falling prices.
• Joe Kernen (CNBC Anchor) - Interviewed White House economist Kevin Hassett.
• John Karl (ABC News Correspondent) - Interviewed White House economist Kevin Hassett.
• Scott Bessent - Referred to as "the soybean farmer" and part of Trump's "crack economic team," in a sarcastic tone.
• Ted Cruz (US Senator) - Mentioned in the context of potentially laying groundwork for a 2028 presidential run by critiquing Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes.
• J.D. Vance (US Senator) - Discussed as a figure in the Republican party who is "stuck" due to his past support for Trump and his current political positioning.
• Pete Buttigieg (US Secretary of Transportation) - Quoted for his assessment of J.D. Vance's political flexibility.
• Mark Epstein (Jeffrey Epstein's brother) - Issued a statement clarifying that "Bubba" in a viral email was not Bill Clinton.
• Alex Jones (Conspiracy Theorist) - A clip of him discussing hypothetical blackmail related to a sexual act was played.
• Bernie Sanders (US Senator) - Mentioned for his collaboration with Ro Khanna on the war powers resolution to stop the refueling of Saudi planes.
• Admiral Mosley - Resigned in protest of the US military's actions against alleged drug smuggling boats off the coast of Venezuela.
• Sarah Jacobs (US Representative) - Introduced resolutions to stop the UAE from arming groups in the Sudan conflict.
• Jared Kushner (Former Senior Advisor to the President) - Mentioned due to his financial ties with Saudi Arabia, connecting it to the Trump family's interests.
• Mohammed bin Salman (Saudi Crown Prince) - His visit to the White House and potential US security guarantees/arms sales to Saudi Arabia were discussed.

Organizations & Institutions

• Justice Department - The department responsible for releasing the Epstein files and conducting investigations.
• House Oversight Committee - Mentioned as having the legal right to certain documents.
• FBI - Mentioned in the context of searching documents for mentions of Trump.
• The Atlantic (Publication) - Mentioned as the source of Yair Rosenberg's article.
• CNN - Marjorie Taylor Greene's interview on "State of the Union" was discussed.
• White House - The setting for discussions and decisions regarding the Epstein files and other policies.
• Crooked Media - The podcast's production company, mentioned in relation to using ZipRecruiter.
• US News and World Report - Named Simply Safe as the best home security system.
• Canadaland Investigates - The podcast producing "What is Happening Here."
• Walmart - Mentioned in the context of inflation and Thanksgiving costs.
• ABC - John Karl's interview with Kevin Hassett was referenced.
• CNBC - Joe Kernen's interview with Kevin Hassett was referenced.
• OPEC - Mentioned as a potential entity Trump might engage to influence gas prices.
• Supreme Court - Mentioned in the context of potential rulings against Trump's tariffs.
• G2 - ZipRecruiter is rated #1 hiring site based on G2.
• CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) - Reported on the US military buildup in the Caribbean.
• Wall Street Journal - Reported on a classified Justice Department briefing regarding strikes on drug smuggling boats.
• United Arab Emirates (UAE) - Mentioned as a country feeding arms into the Sudan conflict and having ties to the Trump family.

Courses & Educational Resources

• Strict Scrutiny - A podcast that will be holding live shows.

Websites & Online Resources

• simplysafe.com/crooked - Website for Simply Safe home security (Explicitly stated as promotional, but also mentioned as a personal experience by John).
• canadalandinvestigates.com - Podcast page for "What is Happening Here."
• Truth Social - Donald Trump's social media platform, where he posted messages about the Epstein files, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Thomas Massie.
• meta.com/buildingamerica - Website to learn more about Meta's investment in AI infrastructure and jobs.
• ziprecruiter.com/crooked - Website for ZipRecruiter, for hiring.
• votesaveamerica.com - Website to find out how to get involved in the special election in Tennessee's 7th district.
• crooked.com/events - Website for tickets to live shows.
• crooked.com/store - Website for holiday merchandise.
• betterhelp.com/psa - Website for BetterHelp online therapy.
• helixsleep.com/crooked - Website for Helix Sleep mattresses.

Other Resources

• "What is Happening Here" (Podcast) - A podcast from Canadaland Investigates about anti-Jewish hatred in Canada.
• Saturday Night Live cold open - Referenced for its satirical portrayal of Donald Trump and the Epstein files.
• Politifact - Mentioned for debunking an AI-generated video of Trump and Clinton.