In a startling revelation, Jeffrey Epstein claimed that Donald Trump employed a divide-and-conquer strategy to create discord among his staffers. This assertion came to light in a 2017 audio recording, released by journalist Michael Wolff on his podcast, Fire and Fury. The conversation took place at the SoHo branch of Ladurée, a popular patisserie in Manhattan.
Details from the Recording
Epstein described a workplace atmosphere where Trump’s aides were pitted against one another while the former president undermined them from outside. “He will tell ten people ‘Bannon’s a scumbag’ and ‘Priebus is not doing a good job’ and ‘Kellyanne has a big mouth’,” Epstein said, elaborating on how Trump sowed seeds of distrust among his team. He added, “Jamie Dimon [CEO of JPMorgan Chase] says that you’re a problem and I shouldn’t keep you. And I spoke to [financier] Carl Icahn. And Carl thinks I need a new spokesperson.”
Specifics on Staff Relationships
Epstein continued, addressing specific relationships among key staff members: “So Kelly[anne]—even though I hired Kellyanne’s husband—Kellyanne is just too much of a wildcard. And then he tells Bannon, you know I really want to keep you but Kellyanne hates you.” This highlights the internal conflicts that Epstein claims Trump encouraged among his advisors, including former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, former chief of staff Reince Priebus, and former senior counselor Kellyanne Conway.
GOP Response to the Allegations
Following the release of this tape, Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, issued a statement criticizing Wolff. She labeled him a “disgraced writer” who fabricates lies to sell books. “Michael Wolff is a disgraced writer who routinely fabricates lies in order to sell fiction books because he clearly has no morals or ethics,” Leavitt stated. She accused Wolff of attempting to influence the election with “outlandish false smears” just days before voters went to the polls.
Includes inputs from online sources)
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