MSNBC Rachel Maddow (video) - 07-17-2025-224629

MSNBC Rachel Maddow (video)

NBC News

Congress, Madow, Politics, Issues, Campaign, Policy, Election, News & Politics, Public, Nbc, President, Washington, Government

4.4 • 12.2K Ratings

🗓️ 17 July 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Through her unique approach to storytelling, Rachel Maddow provides in-depth reporting to illuminate the current state of political affairs and reveals the importance of transparency and accountability from our leaders. Maddow works with unmatched rigor and resolve to explain our complex world and deliver news in a way that's illuminating and dynamic, connecting the dots to make sense of complex issues. Maddow also conducts thoughtful interviews with individuals at the center of current news stories to provide important perspective.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The big story tonight, the Wall Street Journal is out with new reporting about how Donald Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a lewd letter for his 50th birthday.
0:08.5	According to documents reviewed by the journal, the letter bearing Trump's name contains several lines of typewritten texts framed by the outline of a naked woman.
0:17.7	A pair of small arcs notes the woman's breasts, and the future president's signature is a squiggly
0:23.0	Donald below her waist, mimicking pubic hair. Inside the outline of this naked woman, the journal
0:29.0	reports that the letter from Trump to Epstein was styled as an imaginary conversation between the two.
0:35.6	Voiceover, there must be more to life than having everything.
0:38.9	The note began. Donald, yes, there is, but I won't tell you what it is. Jeffrey, nor will I,
0:45.1	since I also know what it is. Donald, we have certain things in common, Jeffrey. Yes, we do
0:51.3	come to think of it. Donald, enigma's never age. Have you noticed that?
0:55.9	Jeffrey, as a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you. Trump, a pal is a wonderful thing.
1:02.8	Happy birthday. And may every day be another wonderful secret. Now, I should note, NBC News has not independently verified the existence of that letter,
1:13.0	which was written before Epstein was ever arrested, and that Trump vehemently denies the letter's existence.
1:18.4	In fact, he told the journal, quote, this is not me. This is a fake Wall Street Journal story.
1:24.4	He continued, I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women.
1:28.4	It's not my language. It's not my words. And of course, because we are talking about Donald Trump,
1:33.6	he threatened to sue the Wall Street Journal for publishing this article. But this isn't just a
1:38.1	personal matter for the president of the United States. This is also a substantive matter
1:42.1	in terms of how transparent Trump and his administration
1:45.2	have actually been. People familiar with the letter tell the Wall Street Journal that it was
1:49.5	among the documents reviewed by DOJ officials who investigated Epstein and his girlfriend,
1:55.1	Galane Maxwell, years ago. What's unclear is whether this letter was also part of the Trump administration's recent review of the case.
2:04.3	The Justice Department has not responded.
	...

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