November 22, 2025

If someone is known to be evil, why would we trust his opinion regarding who else is evil? Wouldn't the opposite of his opinion have more weight?

That's my question after reading this in Maureen Dowd's new column: "In emails Democrats released, Epstein wrote that 'Trump had spent hours at my house' with one of the victims and that he believed Trump knew more than he had acknowledged, and called Trump 'evil beyond belief.' You know you’re in trouble when someone evil beyond belief calls you evil beyond belief."

I'm interested in hearing your answer to my question, but I admit I've already used my question to prompt Grok, which pointed me to the context of the "evil beyond belief" quote, this email released by the House Oversight Committee:


And no, Dowd did not mention the man who extracted the quote and why he might have thought that "Barrack" — Barack Obama? — had "talked sense" to Trump in the past.

Landon Thomas Jr. was a New York Times reporter when received email from Epstein and wrote back urging Epstein to "jump in."


Why was a NYT reporter asking Jeffrey Epstein to "jump in" and call Trump? Or was Thomas asking Epstein to call Barack Obama who then might call Trump and "talk sense"? [ADDED:  It could also  be Tom Barrack or even Ehud Batak.]

Epstein isn't responsive to Thomas. He doesn't offer to do anything to intervene. He just rants childishly: Trump is crazy! He's evil beyond belief! 

By the way, there's another Landon Thomas Jr. story that was in the news on November 13th: "NYT reporter tipped off Jeffrey Epstein about ex-NYPD detective ‘digging around’ to write tell-all book, emails reveal" (NY Post).

Excerpt: "'Keep getting calls from that guy doing a book on you — John Connolly. He seems very interested in your relationship with the news media. I told him you were a hell of a guy :),' Thomas wrote to Epstein in an email dated June 1, 2016...."

Also: "Thomas left the Times in early 2019, after he revealed to editors that he had solicited a $30,000 donation to a cultural center in Harlem from Epstein, NPR reported at the time. His disclosure led brass at the Grey Lady to revisit Thomas’ past work, turning up a fawning profile of Epstein published in 2008, days before he began serving time as part of a slap-on-the-wrist plea deal on Florida child prostitution charges."

Where's the "fawning profile"? I'm seeing this from 2002, in New York Magazine, "Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery."

75 comments:

bagoh20 said...

Evil men have very small feet... and hands, doncha know.

john mosby said...

What if a Cretan tells you all Cretans are liars? CC, JSM

rehajm said...

I love the he could well tank the global economy coming from some doosh who hasn't a fucking clue about anything economics. Your lane is liberal propaganda...

bagoh20 said...

"Hitler frequently framed Roosevelt as part of a larger conspiracy involving Jews and Bolsheviks, implying that his actions were evil due to their supposed ulterior motives aimed at world domination."
~Duck.AI

RCOCEAN II said...

Thomas background is interesting. BA in Polysi in 1987. MA from John Hopkins 1991 in International studies. Then suddenly in 1994 is a porfolio manager for Morgan Stanley till 1998. Then becomes a reporter. And finally joins the NYT 2002-2019.

Jupiter said...

Dowd? Maureen Dowd? Shouldn't she be drinking scented tea with a guru in an Etruscan villa or something? Light some candles, Maureen.

RCOCEAN II said...

Epstein cartoon - the lack of women is interesting.

Achilles said...

Epstein hated Trump because Trump cooperated with the investigators that got Epstein convicted.

Paul Zrimsek said...

All those people who think Darryl Cooper is evil beyond belief are going to have to change their minds about Churchill now.

n.n said...

Where evil character and wicked solutions progress, there can be only one.

Jupiter said...

""Hitler frequently framed Roosevelt as part of a larger conspiracy involving Jews and Bolsheviks ..."
Wonder where he got that idea.

RCOCEAN II said...

I think Dowd has it wrong. When a liar and objectively evil man who was a spy, blackmailer, pedophile, and all around pig, calls you "bad", that probably means you're good.

Getting complimented by evil isn't a good resume enhancer.

RCOCEAN II said...

Pollard who spent 30 years in jail for betraying the USA befriends Mike Huckabee that doesn't mean Huckabee is a good guy. that Trump was disliked by Epstein is to Trump's credit.

n.n said...

Yes, Trump exposed social liberal club progressing through the muck to judgment and labels in open society. Also, grifters, gropers, and pedos.

tommyesq said...

Tank the economy? Does anyone remember the state of the economy back in March 2018?

RCOCEAN II said...

I'll never forget that under Bush, Epstein basically got a pass and all his crimes were swept under the rug. I wonder if Cheney knew what was going on.

And the only reason the Epstein scandal saw the light of day is that the Democrats thought they could tie him to Trump. If Epstein hadn't known Trump, we'd still be thinking he was just an "International money mystery man" or whatever.

bagoh20 said...

It seems most likely that Epstein hated Trump, for a number of reasons including Trump banning him from his resorts, and his cooperation with authorities prosecuting Epstein. You have to be desperate to think his criticism of Trump would be fair and clear-headed, but again, facts are inconvenient, over, and over, and over.

Josephbleau said...

So many indications that the Democrats have nothing left but the swamp.

Leland said...

I’ve been wondering about this ever since Trump was convicted based on Michael Cohen testimony of a <30 sec call and after Cohen admitted defrauding Trump previously. It’s as “if it makes Trump look bad, then it must be true”.

Sebastian said...

"Here's the 2018 Daily Beast article that Epstein had sent to Thomas: "How Close Is Donald Trump to a Psychiatric Breakdown?"" See, there's a prog audience for that BS. Any of us may think it's patently absurd, but they eat it up. Plus you can see why the Biden admin didn't release the files: E. hated Trump and was best buddies with Dems.

Aggie said...

Well, one could face the facts: Trump had Epstein's number, and did something resolute and decisive about it early on, using his connections with law enforcement, while the rest of the establishment was fawning over Epstein's Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous bullsh*t, ignoring the obvious about his deviant sexual behavior.

Original Mike said...

"It’s as “if it makes Trump look bad, then it must be true”."

Inga in a nutshell.

Ambrose said...

People like Dowd will believe anybody who confirms what they already believe to be true.

Big Mike said...

RCOCEAN II said...

I think Dowd has it wrong.


Don’t go too far out on that limb!

Achilles said...

All of this was rather predictable. You had to be a complete retard to think Trump had anything to do with Epstein or that releasing these files would hurt Trump in any way.

So the most interesting question now is Why did Trump seek to hold this back?

He listened to someone. Who told him to hold these files back?

I also love the part about the classified files being held back. I think we can all agree what the classified files contain. And the Democrats joining unanimously on this is very concerning.

I don't think this is going to be enough. MAGA is going to keep asking why we are covering for the CIA and Mossad.

robother said...

I sense Jeffrey Epstein's moment of "strange new respect" is coming as his emails reveal his long hatred of Trump. Unlike Dick Cheney, he didn't live to see it.

Wince said...

"He could well tank global economy."

He could well tank the globalists' economy.

Fixed it for ya'.

rhhardin said...

On an island of truth-tellers and liars, you ask "Did you know that they're giving away free beers in the village?" Then follow him no matter what he says.

Achilles said...

It is possible that Trump wanted to hold this off until the midterm election season. But that seems unlikely to me.

FullMoon said...

"Epstein wrote that 'Trump had spent hours at my house' with one of the victims .."

This keeps popping up as if Trump was alone with Virginia Giuffre. Have seen no evidence of that. Was the comment made after Virginia Giuffre became famous?
What exactly were the circumstances, and how many people were there, when Trump spent hours?

Achilles said...

Wince said...

"He could well tank global economy."

He could well tank the globalists' economy.

Fixed it for ya'.


Native born Americans had massive positive job growth and the US had job growth despite illegals being fired en mass and many many government workers being laid off.

The American working class is going through a boom right now. GDP exploded upwards.

Just one of those things that Ann is going to feel "prodded" to talk about at some point. The NYT's certainly wont get to it.

FullMoon said...

"Wince said...

"He could well tank global economy."

He could well tank the globalists' economy.

Fixed it for ya'.

Native born Americans had massive positive job growth and the US had job growth despite illegals being fired en mass and many many government workers being laid off.

The American working class is going through a boom right now. GDP exploded upwards."

Every time an illegal loses their job, a citizen takes their place.

Achilles said...

FullMoon said...

This keeps popping up as if Trump was alone with Virginia Giuffre. Have seen no evidence of that. Was the comment made after Virginia Giuffre became famous?
What exactly were the circumstances, and how many people were there, when Trump spent hours?


It happened 30 years ago in a changing room in a posh New York City clothing shop. Not sure what day or even year.

But that is enough to sue Trump for defamation if he says it didn't happen.

Women like Ann will find it credible.

D.D. Driver said...

Let's put it this way: Trump calling Epstein a "terrific guy" is much worse than Epstein calling Trump "evil."

Michael Fitzgerald said...

Original Mike said...
"It’s as “if it makes Trump look bad, then it must be true”."
Inga in a nutshell.
11/22/25, 11:36 AM

IDS. Inga Derangement Syndrome.

rhhardin said...

Evil did I dwell, lewd did I live.
can't make a palendrome from dowd. Department of Workforce Development.

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

I suspect the fallout from this is going to end more media careers than political.

mindnumbrobot said...

Frankly, I haven't been following the Epstein kerfuffle, but from this short email exchange it sounds like Epstein was feeding these TDS inflicted parasites exactly what they wanted to hear.

TeaBagHag said...

The correct reading is that Donnie’s morality is lower than that of a child rapist.
Trump committed acts that even Jeffy Epestein found repulsive.
It would be like if satan kicked you out of hell for being too twisted.

robother said...

This is why we can't stop with the release of the Epstein files. Only the private correspondence of Hitler and Stalin will allow historians to best assess the true worth of other world figures: "when someone evil beyond belief calls you evil beyond belief" that is the gold standard. Let the truth about Roosevelt and Churchill finally come out!

DJ99 said...

By "one of the victims" you mean one of Epstein's victims, in Epstein's house, with Epstein present watching over everything right? He's the source of truth here? When presented with this "evil" surely he lept to the girl's defense right? No you say? My oh my, what is one to believe? Maureen surely loves her serial sex offenders.

Achilles said...

D.D. Driver said...

Let's put it this way: Trump calling Epstein a "terrific guy" is much worse than Epstein calling Trump "evil."

Trump just hosted Mamdani and said many nice things about him. Trump says nice things about everybody.

That is just what Trump does. He is one of the least judgemental and goal oriented people in the world.

Achilles said...

TeaBagHag said...

The correct reading is that Donnie’s morality is lower than that of a child rapist.
Trump committed acts that even Jeffy Epestein found repulsive.
It would be like if satan kicked you out of hell for being too twisted.


I think this person is just here to make Democrats look as stupid and deranged as possible.

boatbuilder said...

"Can Barrack talk sense to him anymore?"

WTF? Just how crazy is this guy?

Dave Begley said...

It used to be a jury instruction in Nebraska before my time: False in one, false in all. In Latin, falsus in uno, flasus in omnibus.

The Romans knew human nature. Epstein has less than zero credibility.

D.D. Driver said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chuck said...

The Democrats are pulling a chain f*cking that Epstein chicken, but no eggs.

Epstein's opinions are useful for understanding Epstein, but otherwise useless.

boatbuilder said...

So Epstein in 2018 knows all the deep dark secrets about Donald Trump. "Evil beyond belief."
And, in 2018, his example is...Stormy Daniels. Which Epstein knows nothing about. (And, even if you believe Ms. Daniels, was at best a garden variety bit of adultery).
Why isn't Epstein talking about, or even remotely hinting at, all the bad stuff that Trump (allegedly) did with teenage girls?
Also "...why wouldn't he take your call?" is comically obtuse.

Skeptical Voter said...

Mo Do---spreading brown nasty phony bunkum with a trowel.

Howard said...

Fixed it for Ya: Every time an illegal loses his job, an angel gets his wings.

Howard said...

More evidence that Trump was likely savvy enough to avoid compromising himself around Epstein. You see how that works, Trump very well might be a scumbag and may have had dalliances with underage girls he certainly cheated on all of his wives probably paid for hundreds of abortions left a lot of subcontractors hung out to dry and was likely in bed with Mobsters to get projects done both here and abroad. He was trained by Roy Cohn for crepes sake so for someone to say that he is evil beyond belief is not a stretch. And yet still no evidence he succumbed to Epstein's Honey trap.

Original Mike said...

"so for someone to say that he is evil beyond belief is not a stretch. "

Beyond belief means it is a stretch.

Inga said...

"Can Barrack talk sense to him anymore?"

Tom Barrack? Ehud Barak? Doubtful he means Barack Obama.

William said...

Donald Trump's past association with Epstein does him no credit, but I wouldn't say it's evil beyond belief. I think he accepted Jeffrey Epstein's behavior in the way that Rolling Stones' fans accepted the fact that their favorite band didn't discriminate against underage members of their fan base.....Evil beyond belief: Epstein is reprehensible, but if I were in charge of arranging accommodations in Hell, I would put those members of the Bournemouth grooming gangs in a much nastier pit. There might even be members of some rock groups who did more exploitative and damaging things than Epstein.

Amadeus 48 said...

Howard:"...for crepes sake..."

Oh no! Trump is a Frenchman? I knew it! He probably planted that story about Brigitte Macron with Candace Owens, too. Is there no end to his perfidy? Get those two crazy senators Slotkin and Kelly on the line!

TeaBagHag said...

Donald J Trump; your least favorite’s pedophile’s, least favorite pedophile.

Amadeus 48 said...

Inga--"I doubt he means Barak Obama."

I don't.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Incoherent writing from an incoherent thinker. Rumors. Gossip. No facts. BS from word one to the rest of the article.

Inga said...

Inga--"I doubt he means Barak Obama."

“I don't.”

Trump hated/hates Obama, why would it be suggested that Trump would listen to anything Barack Obama would have to say?

Amadeus 48 said...

Oh yeah. Ehud Barak was shacked up at Epstein's place. Probably Ehud.

Justabill said...

Why would I care about Epstein’s opinion on any topic? The amount of time being wasted on him is appalling.

Inga said...

“Oh yeah. Ehud Barak was shacked up at Epstein's place. Probably Ehud.”

Doubtful too. Tom Barrack and Trump had a long relationship.

“Nature of the relationship
Long-standing friendship: The two have known each other since the late 1980s, a relationship Barrack helped mend during difficult times for Trump's business and personal life.
Fundraiser and supporter: Barrack was a key fundraiser for Trump's 2016 campaign and was a senior advisor to the campaign.
Inaugural chairman: He served as the chairman for Trump's 2017 Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Adviser: Barrack served as an outside adviser to Trump, helping him navigate political and business challenges, including a secret trip to Mexico and managing public perception of his immigration policies.”

Gemini

Iman said...

It was Ehud Barak.

William said...

It's an established fact that John Steinbeck felt more sympathy for bankrupt farmers in Oklahoma than for outright starvation victims in Ukraine. If you get victimized by a Jewish billionaire, a Catholic priest or any kind of Republican, your story is told on the front page and you receive abundant sympathy. Tough luck and back pages for you if you get beaten and gang raped by migrants......Can we all agree that John Wayne Gacy was more evil than Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein doesn't even have a middle name.

Iman said...

The Evil Lemonhead…

Iman said...

Hook ‘em ‘horns and suck ‘em hag.

Big Mike said...

I think this person is just here to make Democrats look as stupid and deranged as possible.

@Achilles, and succeeding!

Amexpat said...

Epstein was an amoral opportunist and any statement he made should be given no weight either way. He could lie or make a true statement according to what was best in his best interest.

What's more important is what important people said to him and when. Any contact after June 30, 2008, should raise eyebrows, if not outrage.

narciso said...

The holomodor was only brought up by mr jones in hearst papers what does that have to do with the price of fish

narciso said...

Barak who ran the color revolution that made october 7th possible also tried to broker a tie to syrian regime

Jersey Fled said...

“People like Dowd will believe anybody who confirms what they already believe to be true.”

It’s called confirmation bias. We all have it to some degree. In fact you have to work pretty hard to overcome it.

Smilin' Jack said...

I have trouble believing that someone is evil beyond belief.

tcrosse said...

Further demonstration of the logical fallacy of the undistributed middle:
I hate evil.
I hate Trump
Ergo, Trump is evil
QED.

gspencer said...

The enemy of my enemy is not ipso facto my friend. Learn that lesson.

narciso said...

The Times built up Epstein so he would be acceptible to a broad strata of individuals

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