John Oliver Returns to Spotlight Epstein Allegations and Trump’s Deflection Tactics
A scathing return to television saw John Oliver immediately address the fallout from the release of Jeffrey Epstein files and former President Donald Trump’s attempts to shift public attention.
After a month-long hiatus, John Oliver wasted no time diving into contentious political territory, dedicating the opening ten minutes of Last Week Tonight to the ongoing controversy surrounding Donald Trump and the recently unsealed court documents related to the late Jeffrey Epstein. The segment focused on Trump’s efforts to redirect the national conversation away from the allegations contained within the files.
Oliver began by acknowledging the whirlwind of events that occurred during his absence. “We are back! And we missed a lot — from Trump signing his Big Beautiful Bill into law, which was terrible, to Colbert getting canceled, which was terrible, to the Coldplay concert heard around the world, which was honestly kind of fun,” he stated, setting a tone of sardonic observation.
The core of the segment centered on a recent Wall Street Journal article alleging that Trump sent Epstein a handwritten letter containing a vulgar drawing and expressing sentiments of shared understanding, concluding with the phrase: “Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” In response, Trump has initiated a defamation suit against the Rupert Murdoch-owned publication.
Oliver didn’t shy away from pointed commentary, quipping, “His signature looks less like pubes and more like the polygraph results when he’s asked if he’s ever been friends with Jeffrey Epstein.”
The late-night host then highlighted a news clip showcasing Trump instructing GOP leaders to actively deflect inquiries regarding Epstein. “Yeah, it’s that easy,” Oliver remarked, before sarcastically suggesting increasingly outlandish claims as potential deflection tactics: “and if they keep asking, say Hillary [Clinton] shot JFK, Rosie O’Donnell did 9/11 and Nancy Pelosi f—ed a bat, that’s how we got COVID — no further questions.”
Interestingly, Oliver noted that some of the most vocal criticism of Trump’s handling of the situation is coming from within his own base of support. He pointed to the example of the “QAnon shaman,” who posted a scathing critique of Trump, calling him a “fraud.” “And once you’ve lost dipsh– Daniel Boone here, you are in trouble,” Oliver observed.
The segment culminated in a review of previously reported allegations of sexual improprieties against Trump, including the infamous Access Hollywood tape, accusations from five teen beauty queens regarding inappropriate behavior, and his documented association with Epstein’s private jet. “Beyond that though, there’s nothing there. Except for a jury finding him liable for sexual abuse, but other than that, there’s nothing to see!” Oliver stated with heavy irony.
Oliver further underscored the lack of direct denials from Epstein himself, playing a clip of Epstein invoking his Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights when questioned about Trump’s presence around female minors. “If the answer is no, just say that,” Oliver quipped. “Instead, Epstein started listing amendments like he was ordering off the value menu. ‘I’ll have the number 5, 6, 14, 10, 12, 3 and whichever else means I won’t have to break bro code.’”
The segment served as a sharp reminder of the lingering questions surrounding Trump’s relationship with Epstein and the ongoing legal and political ramifications of the unsealed court documents.
