Sunny Hostin appears to change tune on releasing Epstein files after Trump DOJ declares there's no list
Hostin and her fellow co-hosts discussed the furor from the right on Monday, calling for the release of the supposed list and more information in general about Epstein's case. That put Hostin on the side of some of the most right-wing elements of President Donald Trump's base, who are angry that he's sided with Attorney General Pam Bondi and derided his own supporters for being too invested in the dead man's case.
Referring to Trump downplaying the controversy, she said, "So now he's calling his supporters selfish, he's trying to make this go away, yet in 2002, he told New York Magazine, 'I have known Jeff for 15 years. He is a terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do and many of them are on the younger side.'"
"So he said that and then also what Pam Bondi didn't release because it's already been released. Trump's name is on the passenger logs of Epstein's aircraft at least seven times. That's already been made public. I mean, of course, Trump is denying any and all allegations, but all of that information is out there. Why not just put it to rest and say, release the list?"
Trump's supporters have called out the administration after the Department of Justice determined that Epstein committed suicide in 2019 and that there is no list detailing who allegedly took part in Epstein's history of sexual deviancy. Bondi, as well as FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, had all called for Epstein's sex-trafficking secrets to be made public long before the DOJ's stunning about-face.
Hostin called for more information to be released, demanding Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell testify on whether the list exists or not. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking and helping procure Epstein's young victims.
Hostin's attitude appeared to mark a significant shift in her thinking from just one year ago.
While discussing the unsealing of a set of Epstein files in January 2024, Hostin advised against repeating any names released in the files.
"I was very concerned about some of the coverage that I've seen. People were dying for this information," Hostin said on "The View" at the time, in a clip first flagged on X by the account Maze.
"There was some sort of list that everybody thought would come out, and who's on the list? Only some of the documents have been released, about 900 of them. They've been unsealed. The documents have identified numerous Epstein associates and figures mentioned in proceedings of the 2015 defamation lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre against Ghislaine Maxwell," she continued.
"What's important for us to note is we shouldn't be repeating names that are on the list, because just because your name has – not on the list but in the documents – just because your name is on the documents doesn't mean that you have done anything criminally irresponsible or illegal or civilly irresponsible," Hostin cautioned.
She went on to say that it was "extremely important" to note because "conspiracy theorists seem to not understand or enjoy facts."
House Democrats have now called for a public hearing on the issue amid Republican back-and-forth over the DOJ's announcement.
"I do think that this is not going away because of the severity of what could be in these files and because of the severity of the crimes," Hostin said Tuesday. "Democrats are embracing the politics of the situation for a change. They're actually taking it head-on."
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