Journalist Tara Palmeri pushed Michael Tracey, an Epstein-denier who has called the Jeffrey Epstein scandal a “moral panic,” to reveal who pays him only for Tracey’s audio to “conveniently” cut out on Piers Morgan Uncensored.
Meanwhile, California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu finally revealed the disturbing allegations Trump could face in a full Epstein files release —accusations that not even a bad mic could save him from.
Palmeri: “Whose paying you?”
On Feb. 17, 2026, in a panel discussion, Palmeri, who has covered the Epstein case extensively on Substack and podcasts, asked Tracey point-blank, “Are you being paid by any of the men who are being accused” in the Epstein case?
Tracey, also an independent American journalist and political commentator known for contrarian takes on mainstream media, has pushed back on what he characterizes as exaggerated or conspiratorial claims about a broader Epstein cover-up, arguing that available court records and released documents do not substantiate some of the more sweeping allegations circulating online.
Palmeri, meanwhile, writes a weekly newsletter on Substack called The Red Letter, where she publishes independent political reporting on the Epstein case, and has been openly critical of how the Trump administration has handled the matter.
“I’m having trouble hearing right now”
Responding to Palmeri, Tracey said, “I’m having trouble hearing right now,” so he couldn’t answer the question. Tracey heard enough to call what she said “defamatory nonsense.” Even Morgan noted, “An astonishing coincidence that you suddenly lost your hearing when you were asked a very difficult question.”
Tracey has argued that while Epstein’s crimes and powerful associations were real and serious, publicly released indictments, court records, and investigative findings have not substantiated many of the more expansive cover-up theories circulating online, and he frequently criticizes journalists and influencers for presenting conjecture as fact.
A Reddit comment on the exchange noted, “Yeah, she nailed it, he froze, then used one of the oldest tricks in the book. Good lord, what an age we live in. He couldn’t even help himself by calling it nonsense, waiting until she was done talking too. These people are actually huge stupid.”
Ted Lieu on Trump’s ‘highly disturbing’ allegations
Meanwhile, another figure in the Epstein scandal, President Trump, has so far managed to elude tough questions about his involvement in the case, similar to Tracey. But according to California Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu, the clock is ticking.
A few weeks before Palmeri and Tracey’s Morgan appearance, Lieu said,
“Donald Trump is in the Epstein files thousands and thousands of times. In those files, there are highly disturbing allegations — allegations of Donald Trump raping children and threatening to kill children.”
Lieu’s statements appear to reference longstanding allegations from the mid-1990s, including a civil lawsuit filed in 2016 that claimed Trump sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl at an Epstein property.
The accuser, using the pseudonym “Katie Johnson,” also was threatened and warned not to speak out, including statements that she or her family could be harmed if she went public.
The lawsuit was voluntarily withdrawn shortly before the 2016 presidential election. No criminal charges were filed, and Trump has denied the allegations.
As files continue to surface, the secrecy around Epstein and his powerful associates appears to be crumbling. The on-air stumble of Tracey, juxtaposed with Palmeri’s pointed questioning and Lieu’s revelations about long-simmering allegations against Trump, both show attempts to dismiss or deflect scrutiny are losing ground. What once seemed like an impenetrable cover-up is now facing relentless exposure, meaning accountability could be edging closer.
Published: Feb 18, 2026 03:51 pm