Welcome to the beat. I'm Ari Melbert. Smiles for Allie, but we turn to a more serious story

right now because the top story is the news that Donald Trump is accused in the Epstein files,

and that his government is hiding the very Epstein files about it. NPR reporting that bombshell

heading into the state of the Union where President Trump faced the long shadow of Jeffrey

Epstein. Indeed, it was one of these

split-screen moments, depending on how you took in the State of the Union, because as I'm

showing you right here in these photos, about a dozen Epstein survivors attended, and others showed

their support for the survivors and transparency in various ways, including visible stickers

and other insignia.

Trump didn't even acknowledge them. And he didn't address what his administration is doing on this

front or the big vote. Trump is hiding the files. That's according to credible independent reporter.

Trump is hiding the files, according to lawmakers in both parties who have actually gone in to

review them, the ones that they did release. And while Politico's, people who follow this and say,

okay, but isn't it obvious that Donald Trump would duck the issue in his speech because it's a weakness,

even if it was the longest state of the union ever, so he had time to hit all kinds of topics.

But politically, people might say, why bring up your own weakness in the speech?

But think about this tonight.

His refusal to address the Epstein topic is still a total reversal from his recent campaign where Donald Trump ran on Epstein

Justice and Transparency.

He told interested MAGA podcasters more than once he would release the files, get to the

bottom of this.

I know that some people think it is cool to sound unexcited or unkind of surprise and cynically just down with everything that's happening

...