Carlson’s Epstein Claim at Summit
During his speech at the Turning Point USA’s Student Action Summit, Tucker Carlson, a notable right-wing commentator, asserted that Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted child sex trafficker who has passed away, was allegedly connected to Israeli intelligence.
This statement surfaced amid calls from right-wing social media influencers urging the Trump administration to disclose files linked to Epstein, who has long been suspected of operating a child sex trafficking ring on his private island, allegedly involving high-profile individuals.
Conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein have circulated for over a decade, suggesting that his trafficking operation functioned as a blackmail scheme, where he recorded politicians and affluent individuals engaged in child sex crimes to sway American foreign policy on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency.
An article from the Daily Beast in 2019 intensified these theories by featuring an interview with a former senior White House official. This individual discussed why Alex Acosta, the then-U.S. attorney in charge of Epstein’s case in 2007, agreed to a non-prosecution plea deal for Epstein.
According to the article, when Acosta was interviewed for a cabinet position, he was questioned about whether the Epstein case might hinder his confirmation hearings. It was alleged that Acosta responded by stating he had been told Epstein “belonged to intelligence” and that he should disregard the case.
Carlson opined, “I think the real answer is, Jeffrey Epstein was working on behalf of intel services, probably not American. And we have every right to ask, on whose behalf was he working?” He expressed skepticism about how someone could rise so quickly from a math teacher to owning multiple planes and a private island.
He continued, “It’s extremely obvious to anyone who watches that this guy had direct connections to a foreign government. Now, no one’s allowed to say that foreign government is Israel, because we’ve been somehow cowed into thinking that that’s naughty,” which elicited cheers from the audience.
Carlson emphasized that voicing such opinions should not carry stigma, stating, “Criticizing the behavior of a government agency does not make you a hater, it makes you a free person.” He noted that many suppress their feelings about these matters due to societal pressures, which he believes fosters resentment and hostility online.
The commentary referenced former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, who reportedly met with Epstein several times after Epstein’s conviction for sex-related offenses in Florida. Reports indicate Barak visited Epstein around 30 times between 2013 and 2017 at his properties.
However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released a memo stating that its investigation found “no incriminating ‘client list.’” Moreover, the FBI claimed there was “no credible evidence” that Epstein engaged in blackmail against prominent individuals or that there was any substantiated cause to pursue investigations against unnamed third parties.
