Transcript

What Made Trump FLIP on the Epstein Files and Now Support Full Release, with Buck Sexton

From Megyn Kelly · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 16 min · 3,096 words · 30 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "What Made Trump FLIP on the Epstein Files and Now Support Full Release, with Buck Sexton", an episode of Megyn Kelly published November 20, 2025 (16 min, about 3,096 words). It mentions 8 people, works and ideas, including Smoking gun, Epstein file release bill, Virgin Islands, Solicitation of prostitution with a minor, Reed Hoffman.

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 3:00: Epstein file release bill
  2. – 6:00: Smoking gun
  3. – 9:00: Solicitation of prostitution with a minor, Virgin Islands
  4. – 12:00: Reed Hoffman
  5. – 15:00: Sex offender list

Notable quotes from "What Made Trump FLIP on the Epstein Files and Now Support Full Release, with Buck Sexton"

  • Republican, into the situation room to reportedly lean into her to not vote for this Jeffrey Epstein file release bill that was making its way through the House? Like he was…
    about Epstein file release bill · at
  • On my desk. So, there were PR missteps, but that's a world of difference from Donald Trump is hiding the smoking gun.
    about Smoking gun · at
  • There's other Epstein news, including this. She's not a congresswoman because she's from the Virgin Islands, which is a territory, not a state. So, but her name is Stacy…
    about Virgin Islands · at
  • At the island on the plane. it's it's Bill Gates, it's Bill Clinton, it's it's Reed Hoffman, it's you go down the list. These are all Democrats.
    about Reed Hoffman · at
  • This point convicted sex criminal. Like I don't he's he's on the sex offender list, right? He's on the sex offender list. I always remember Christopher Hitchens had this test. He's like he's Is someone too gross? He's like,.
    about Sex offender list · at

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Full transcript with timestamps

Why do you think Trump reversed himself after like literally a week and a half ago was called Lauren Boowbert, Republican, into the situation room to reportedly lean into her to not vote for this Jeffrey Epstein file release bill that was making its way through the House? Like he was picking on individual Republicans to get them not to vote for it. She wouldn't agree. And then within hours, Trump did a 180 saying, "I'm in I'm in favor of it now. I'm in favor of it." which led to a a near unanimous passage of the bill in the House and then a unanimous passage of the bill in the Senate, which prior to that reversal, there's a question about whether it would even get a vote in the Senate. Now, it not only got a vote, it passed immediately last night. Now, it's headed for his desk where he says he's going to sign it. And I have my own theory on why he did the 180 and what's going to be withheld.

Um because he does control the DOJ that's got these files. But what's your what's your take on it? I I just want this issue to be something that we have the full transparency needed to move beyond uh at least in in the day-to-day uh this this sort of constant what I view as the speculation Olympics because what happens is people just approach this you know not you and and I hope you know not me but a lot of people it's just an opportunity to try to create some fable where Donald Trump is actually at the center of this and he's a bad guy and the Democrats are so desperate for that. Okay. Hey, but on on the Trump part of this, uh, here's what I see. Knowing Trump for a having met him a very long time ago and having known him obviously throughout the administration, uh, his two his two administrations, I would say he does not like to be told what to do. And I know that sounds very basic and what does

that have to do with this? He he didn't want these released. in the fact that the base is effectively demanding in the Trump base and I know this because of my radio show. I I hear from them every day. The Trump base is demanding Epstein file transparency. So he doesn't like to be uh feeling like he's overruled. So I think there's just a stubbornness quite honestly with this. And then I think from Trump and I think that there's a which has been overcome and I think that there's a frustration from Trump as well that now here we go again. you know, the, you know, he's going to be like the fake news, ABC, CBS, you know, they're saying that like I'm involved in this.

We've already been over this. We've talked about it a million times. I mean, the timing of this from the House Democrats releasing some of it right when the shutdown turned into a giant belly flop of epic proportions for them. Uh, that was obvious and he was right to call that out, Megan. So, I I don't I I am absolutely confident uh that there's nothing in there that is truly derogatory about Donald Trump. There might be some things that people can insinuate and they will, but I don't think there's anything that's truly derogatory or or I should say um shows culpability of any kind. And I think that he's just frustrated with all the the stuff around this. I will see the administration made some big mess ups here. Um, and not Trump, but some of the people that work for him. Yeah, they screwed up on that and they just did and we have to be honest about that. The binders that was that was foolish

looking and then the Pam Bondi talking about it and not talking about it and what's going to happen and I have them on my desk. So, there were PR missteps, but that's a world of difference from Donald Trump is hiding the smoking gun. He's not hiding the smoking gun. People need to get a grip. The walls are not closing in on him. And I hope that finally when these files come out, that will be that. It's so disgusting because the media's determination to make this story about Donald Trump has completely bastardized the whole story. The story is not about Trump. It's about Jeffrey Epstein and his disgusting pals who were using and abusing and sexually molesting young women for years. Uh they're they have nothing nothing to suggest that Trump was one of them. He was friends with Jeffrey Epste, but the main alleged victim they've been pointing to on Trump is on the record under oath saying Trump

never touched her and that she never saw him with another woman. And all these alleged victims who keep going on NBC and so on, they all say no, nothing on Trump. There is not a single woman who has said yes, I was trafficked by Epstein to Trump. There's one who says Trump walked into a house with Epstein and allegedly fondled her upon meeting her. Okay, that's that's what the best they have. so far and they're waiting for some sort of smoking gun in these materials. So, I think Trump did his 180 because he had to. He knew he was going to lose it. Like the the Republicans were determined to vote yes on this.

His base was demanding it finally. His his base was like, "No, we need this." And so he said, "Okay."

But he doesn't he doesn't mind flipping the bird to his base. You know, he's like he always he's quick to remind them, I'm I'm the boss here. But it he was going to lose the vote in the house. And he didn't want to look like

he did tell the base that they did something he didn't want the first time around. Basically, he was like, "Shut up, guys. We're done talking about this." But they didn't stop talking about it. And

yeah. So, I think he had to do the 180 just to save face. And then that made the ball, you know, go even faster in the House and then the Senate. And now he's got to sign it. But look, there are enough exceptions to what the DOJ has to turn over that if Trump were really worried about a document or two, there is the potential that he could just designate it classified and we wouldn't see it. They're not turn they're not releasing classified documents. Um, and they're not releasing anything that would reflect identities of victims and so on. Like, look, I I don't I don't believe for one second that the Epstein scandal is about Trump, nor do I believe Trump trafficked girls, nor do I believe Trump ever raped or sexually assaulted a girl in that we're going to see in these files or or that's that's even in these files. But I do think something has gone on that that changed his opinion. And given that he

controls the DOJ, Pam Bondi answers to him, he's got to have some level of comfort that nothing's going out there that's going to completely crush him because otherwise I think he'd be standing where he stood in July, which is we're not doing this. Move the hell on.

Yeah. I I think that this was one of the rare times where Trump through the pressure, you cannot bend Trump if you are anti-Trump, right? I mean, that's like his his he has an invincibility, an unstoppable force when it comes to if you're a Trump hater, if you're Trump deranged, he doesn't care what you say. He doesn't care what you do.

It is a rare occasion when Trump voters can say, you know, effectively, Mr. President, we need you to do this and you can't tell us that we don't want this. And this is, I think, one of those occasions. You point out rightly that he was going to lose the vote in Congress if he didn't go along with this. But that's because Trump voters were telling people in Congress, you, you know, you jokers better get this done. We're watching you, too. Right? So, it was really a a ground swell of everybody, including the, you know, the or everybody rather on the Trump side saying, "We can't let this thing go. We actually have to get more transparency out there." And so, that's that's where we are. But, yeah, I have no, you know, there have been times where something's going to drop and it's going to hurt somebody on the right and maybe it's even going to hurt Trump. And I'm I'm like, look, I got to brace for impact.

Going to speak about it honestly. Uh we'll we'll work through this. This is not one of those times. Like I'm not I'm not sitting here saying to myself, "Oh my gosh, when the files come out, how are we going to explain whatever's in there about Trump?" First of all, if he did anything wrong, people on the right would be outraged about it. But we know he didn't because we would already know.

We'd know who ran the DOJ Merrick Garland who tried to put Trump in jail repeatedly. We the thought that there's something in the DOJ back pocket that would totally incriminate Trump is a Democrat fantasy. It's not going to come true. Let's keep going because there's other Epstein news, including this. She's not a congresswoman because she's from the Virgin Islands, which is a territory, not a state. So, uh, but her name is uh Stacy Plasket, and it's come out that she was texting with Jeffrey Epstein while she was conducting a congressional hearing.

She was cross-examining Michael Cohen, taking his suggestions on exactly what he should ask Michael Cohen in in the best way to set up Trump and get Trump, which and it was all after after um it was clear that he had plead guilty to solicitation of prostitution with a minor, which as I always remind people is not a thing. If you're solicitating if you're soliciting sex with a minor, you're raping somebody. There's no consenting for a minor to prostitution. Minor prostitution is not a thing. Um, in any event, she had no problem corresponding with Epstein post that.

And then the Miami Herald piece broke, which really blew the whole Epstein scandal wide open in November of 2018. And this is post that. So, this is post that where she's texting with him. It's February of 2019. She's texting with him like he's her BFF on how to get the goods from Michael Cohen. So now the House decided, should we censure her for doing this? This is so disgusting and it's really given us a black eye. And they decided not to. The the vote was very close, but it did not pass. And Buck um Hakee Jeff goes out there and says "Oh um I want to get the quote exactly. During the debate on the resolution suggested Republicans were targeting Plasket

because of her race." Oh, the the race car. That's the reason. Couldn't see that one coming a mile away. Yeah.

Yeah. Do you believe this crap? Uh, look, here's here's something else that Trump has been saying about this issue. And I I truly believe that he is he is frustrated that this is still a thing that we have to talk about. And as I said, the administration made some missteps and fed into that a bit. Um, and some of the administration figures, including people I like and respect very much, were kind of part of fanning these flames and then trying to douse them, which is a little bit of a, you know, a difficult a difficult dance to do. like fanning the flames of we need transparency and then it's well I mean we gave you as much transparency as we can like that was a tough that was a tough

you're good turn yeah that was a tough turnabout um but I would say on on the broader issue

Trump is saying look at who was really involved with Epstein meaning and when I say involved I want to be very clear because I also think it's important ethically and legally to be very specific and I would caution other people out there in the commentary space or listening to this or just you know in their own social media like don't accuse people of things for which there is no evidence especially when you're talking about sex crimes because they will and should sue you and we'll win. Okay? Because you can't go around saying someone's, you know, a pedophile because you don't like them. Um, and I think that there's going to be a lot of people that are trying to find something in this in this trove of of released documents so that they can attack their political enemies, right? So that that's one part of it. But it's Democrats who were involved as friends, associates, longtime companions, frequent companions

at the island on the plane. You know, it's it's Bill Gates, it's Bill Clinton, it's it's Reed Hoffman, it's I mean, you you go down the list. These are all Democrats.

Larry Summers, Larry Summers, who's just with the CCP daughter, you know, the Chinese Communist Party. That's an amazing story, by the way, that that isn't getting more attention. Larry Summers, one of the senior most really the the Treasury Secretary uh in a sense of the Democrats over the course of like 20 years. He's trying to seduce the daughter of a top Chinese Communist Party member and and is like passing pronouncements on US China policy and he's already married and he's going to Jeffrey Epstein for advice. You would think that would be a Could you imagine if that was a Republican? Imagine if that was like Ted Cruz instead of Larry Summers, like a big figure on the right.

It would be and like a like a nervous perverted little school boy being like, "Jeffrey, is she a prostitute? Jeffrey, what should I do? Jeffrey, this is all post the scandal." Like he just like Plasket knew full well what Epstein had pleaded guilty to, was being accused of. They didn't care. Larry Summers kept his relationship going with Jeffrey Epstein well beyond that Miami Herald report. He didn't care. And just as a reminder to the audience, the Miami Herald report blew open the number of victims who had come forward, alleged victims, back in 28 2008 when he pleaded guilty to those two crimes, but that there were literally three dozen young women who had come forward saying, "Me too, me too, me too." And so that that broke in November of 18. And still Larry Summers and Plask and a long list of others were like, "No problem for me, Larry. It's it's me, Larry. Jeffrey, please help me figure out my love life. Keep going.

Yeah. H how did Jeffrey Epstein get such a hold psychologically over some of these incredibly powerful, influential, and wealthy men. Um and and I really do mean that as a question.

Very good question. I I know there are Yeah, I know there are a lot of possible answers, but I do think we should get closer to the actual answer or answers uh on that because to your point, this guy was the Treasury Secretary and he's acting like just some like weirdo buffoon on this issue going to Jeffrey Epstein who's a who's a convicted at this point convicted sex criminal. Like I I I don't

he's he's on the sex offender list, right? He's on the sex offender list. I mean, I always remember uh Christopher Hitchens had this test. He's like he's like, "Is someone too gross?" He's like, "Well, if you're sitting down at lunch with somebody and they say, you know, I did a couple years for tax evasion. Do you finish the lunch?" Yeah. You know, I mean, you shouldn't evade your taxes, but you paid your debt to society, you know, tax evasion. It's like, if you sat down with somebody and they said, you know, I I had, you know, committed like a violent sex crime or underage sex crime. Do you finish the lunch? No, you do not finish. You know, you're like, what the heck? I raped a minor.

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Questions about this episode

What is discussed in "What Made Trump FLIP on the Epstein Files and Now Support Full Release, with Buck Sexton"?

In order: 0:00 Epstein file release bill; 3:00 Smoking gun; 6:00 Solicitation of prostitution with a minor, Virgin Islands; 9:00 Reed Hoffman; 12:00 Sex offender list.

What is mentioned in this Megyn Kelly episode?

8 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Smoking gun, Epstein file release bill, Virgin Islands, Solicitation of prostitution with a minor, Reed Hoffman, Sex offender list. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "What Made Trump FLIP on the Epstein Files and Now Support Full Release, with Buck Sexton"?

The episode runs 16 min; the transcript is about 3,096 words in 30 timestamped sections.

More from Megyn Kelly

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated November 20, 2025.