Topline
Fallout over the Epstein files escalated this week, with high-profile resignations, congressional testimony by both Bill and Hillary Clinton and growing furor over allegations the Justice Department did not release documents detailing accusations of sexual abuse against President Donald Trump.
Billionaire Bill Gates admitted to meeting with Epstein, but said he never did or saw anything “illicit.” (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Bloomberg Philanthropies)
Getty Images for Bloomberg Philanthropies
Timeline
World Economic Forum CEO Borge Brende announced he would step down, and though he did not refer to Jeffrey Epstein in his statement, the resignation followed pressure and an internal investigation into his relationship with Epstein after emails showed the two had communicated and dined together years after Epstein’s sex offense convictions.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified she had “no relationship” with Epstein and was unaware of his crimes in a deposition with lawmakers that was briefly paused after a right-wing influencer posted a photo from inside the testimony, leading to allegations that rules were violated.
Larry Summers, former president of Harvard University and treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton, said he would resign from teaching at the end of the school year and will be on leave until then after emails depicted him in frequent communication with Epstein, often discussing women and political topics.
The Department of Justice allegedly withheld dozens of pages of documents related to Epstein that included FBI interviews with a woman who accused Trump of sexually assaulting her when she was a minor, according to an NPR report, prompting House Democrats to launch an investigation and accuse the administration of a “cover up.”
Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and the 19th-richest person in the world, apologized to Gates Foundation staff over his ties to Epstein, admitting he had affairs with two Russian women that Epstein knew about and that he had met with Epstein on several occasions, though he said he never did or saw anything “illicit.”
Nobel laureate and Columbia University professor Richard Axel stepped down as co-director of the school’s Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute over his emails with Epstein, which depicted him inviting Axel to his island and Manhattan home, with Axel apologizing for his Epstein ties as a “serious error in judgment.”
Peter Mandelson, former British ambassador to the United States, was arrested in the United Kingdom on suspicion of leaking government information to Epstein, months after he was dismissed from his ambassadorship over his close friendship with the financier.
Peter Attia, a longevity medicine researcher and influencer, left his contributor post at CBS News after just one month after he was shown to be in frequent contact with Epstein, even after his convictions, with Attia apologizing for his correspondence and calling it “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible.”
What To Watch For
Former President Bill Clinton is testifying before House lawmakers Friday, one day after Hillary Clinton’s deposition. Bill Clinton, who has not been accused of wrongdoing, has flown on Epstein’s plane multiple times, but has maintained he did not know about Epstein’s criminal activities and cut ties with him in 2005, three years before Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting minors for prostitution.
What Politicians And Royals Were Involved In Epstein Fallout?
Last week, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion of “misconduct in public office” over accusations he shared confidential information with Epstein while serving as a trade envoy, months after he was stripped of his royal titles over his associations with Epstein and allegations of sexual abuse by Virginia Giuffre. The scandal has enveloped other royals and politicians, including Thorbjorn Jagland, former prime minister of Norway, who was charged with “aggravated corruption” earlier this month. Jagland denies the charges, which were filed following a probe into his ties with Epstein in which investigators said they would look into “whether gifts, travel and loans were received in connection with his position.” Norwegian ambassador Mona Juul resigned from her post as ambassador to Jordan and Iraq following reports her children were left $10 million in Epstein’s will.
What Business Leaders Were Involved In The Epstein Fallout?
Billionaire Thomas Pritzker said last week he would retire as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels, citing his “association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell which I deeply regret,” after emails showed he had a longtime friendship with Epstein, including after his convictions. Casey Wasserman said he would sell his talent agency after dozens of artists, including Chappell Roan and Laufey, said they would leave after emails depicted him exchanging flirtatious messages with Maxwell, though Wasserman remains chairman of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles after an internal review. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO of the Dubai-based trade company DP World, resigned after emails showed his close ties to Epstein, who called the businessman one of his “most trusted friends” and said in another email he “loved the torture video.” Kathryn Ruemmler, top lawyer at Goldman Sachs and a former Obama administration counsel, said she would step down from her post in June after emails depicted her maintaining a friendship with Epstein for years. Some of the emails referred to him as “Uncle Jeffrey” and described elaborate gifts he had given her.
Further Reading
Rich And Powerful In The New Epstein Files: Ex-Ambassador Peter Mandelson Arrested For Alleged Misconduct (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2026/02/27/a-week-dominated-by-epstein-trump-gates-summers-and-more/
