Newsom Says He “Enjoys” Watching Trump Allies Struggle Over Epstein Fallout
California Governor Gavin Newsom didn’t hold back during a recent podcast appearance, saying he’s been entertained by the turmoil President Trump and his allies are facing over the administration’s handling of matters related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Epstein and Trump were close,” Newsom said during an episode of The Diary Of A CEO podcast, released Thursday. “It wasn’t just a few photographs. They were close. That’s a fact. Sorry, Donald just a fact.”
Newsom, a longtime political adversary of Trump, said he understands why the renewed focus on Epstein has outraged the public and noted that the reaction from within Trump’s base has been especially telling.
“I think it’s interesting. It’s outraged some of the core base,” he said. “I enjoy the hell out of it.”
The controversy surrounding Epstein has put the Trump administration under growing scrutiny, with bipartisan pressure mounting and tensions spilling over into Congress. This week, the House abruptly ended its session and entered its August recess a day early, reportedly due to a stalemate over how to handle the escalating fallout.
Lawmakers from across the Democratic spectrum have seized the moment to criticize the administration’s lack of transparency. From moderate figures like Rep. Gil Cisneros of California to progressives such as Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, Democrats have united in condemning what they describe as a coordinated effort to suppress critical information.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer joined the chorus of criticism, mocking the sudden recess in a post on social media. “It’s the first day of House Republicans fleeing town for their Epstein Recess,” Schumer wrote Thursday. “They high-tailed it out of here hoping to hide the story. But the story is growing louder by the hour with Trump and the administration’s lies.”
As calls for accountability continue to build, the Epstein controversy remains a political flashpoint one that’s now spilling over into party leadership battles and public messaging wars heading into a heated election cycle.