ABC News is facing renewed scrutiny over its coverage of the long-standing Jeffrey Epstein case.
The impending release of Epstein-related documents has stirred controversy for former President Donald Trump, who this week voiced support for the Justice Department to make the documents public just ahead of a House vote to do so.
During an exchange, ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce pressed Trump, questioning why he hadn’t taken action himself, asking, “Why wait for Congress to release the Epstein files? Why not do it now?”
In response, Trump remarked, “It’s not the question that concerns me. It’s your attitude. I think you’re a terrible reporter. This is how you ask questions.”
After this, Trump suggested that the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission consider revoking ABC’s broadcasting license, stating, “The news should lose its license because it’s so fake and wrong. We have a great commissioner who should look into that.” He accused the network of bias against him.
The following day, the White House issued a statement branding ABC News as “fake news,” highlighting the network’s controversial history and allegations of partial reporting against Trump.
Additionally, critics have brought up explosive claims made by former ABC anchor Amy Robach in 2019, where she alleged the network suppressed her reporting on Epstein in a leaked video. Robach stated, “We’ve had this story for three years… we had no intention of airing it.” She expressed frustration that the coverage she did in 2016 was stifled.
Robach’s video remarks included frustrations about the network’s decision-making, saying they had alarming content related to former President Bill Clinton but were unable to air it, which led her to feel increasingly agitated.
She recalled her interview with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a victim connected to Epstein, noting that they were told, “Who is Jeffrey Epstein? Nobody knows that. This is a stupid story.” In a twist, she claimed they felt pressure from Buckingham Palace concerning Prince Andrew’s alleged involvement, which led to the story’s shelving.
Robach did acknowledge the validity of the footage while defending the integrity of her journalism, mentioning the difficulty of meeting ABC’s editorial standards at that time.
Despite the backlash, ABC News claimed they continued to investigate the Epstein story rigorously, albeit saying not all reports met their broadcast criteria. They pointed out their initial report identifying connections between Clinton and Prince Andrew had no solid evidence of wrongdoing.
The interaction between Trump and Bruce in the Oval Office has reignited discussions about Robach’s previously suppressed footage, with some commentators arguing that airing it could have brought justice for the victims of Epstein.
ABC News has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the situation.
On a separate note, Trump confirmed he has signed legislation allowing the release of the Epstein files. In a related development, Robach left ABC in 2023 following personal issues, including her affair with co-host TJ Holmes, which led to his termination as well.
