Joe Rogan Suggests Trump Using Political Crises to Deflect From Epstein Files Transparency

Podcaster Joe Rogan has suggested that President Donald Trump and his administration may be using high-profile government actions to divert public attention away from the continued withholding of full Jeffrey Epstein documents.

The comments were made during a January 22 episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, where Rogan, 58, spoke with comedian Ehsan Ahmad about the lack of transparency surrounding the Epstein investigation.

The discussion focused on why, despite the Department of Justice releasing thousands of pages related to Epstein, Congress failed to make all remaining files public by a December deadline previously set by the U.S. government.

“It’s gonna go on for a long time, I suspect,” Rogan said. “I mean they said they released them, but what did they release?”

Ahmad argued that the Epstein issue has been buried beneath a series of major news events, including unrest in Minnesota following a recent ICE operation that resulted in the fatal shooting of a local resident, as well as ongoing investigations into alleged large-scale government fraud in the state.

“With the ICE shooting, it feels like that’s completely drowned out, anything about it,” Ahmad said. Rogan responded, “I think some of that’s on purpose,” to which Ahmad replied, “Oh, 100%.”

Later in the episode, Rogan criticized Trump after learning that a federal judge had rejected a proposal from Republican Representative Thomas Massie and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna to appoint an independent authority to oversee the full release of the Epstein files. The bipartisan effort had played a key role in prompting the administration’s partial disclosure.

“So a federal judge said, no, you can’t force them to release it even though you campaigned on it,” Rogan said. “Even though you ran on it, even though you stood outside of that courthouse with a bunch of binders saying, ‘We’ve got it.’”

The Epstein controversy has unfolded alongside mounting criticism of Trump’s foreign policy. The president has recently reignited calls for the United States to annex Greenland, despite firm opposition from Greenland, Denmark, and several European allies. The proposal has contributed to market uncertainty and renewed debate over U.S. leadership abroad.

Tensions escalated further after Trump threatened tariffs on European nations opposing the idea. Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre contacted Trump on January 18, expressing concern over the tariff threats and broader geopolitical instability. His message referenced coordination with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and urged de-escalation.

Trump responded with a message emphasizing trade pressure, NATO contributions, and U.S. security interests, while again questioning Denmark’s claim to Greenland and linking his stance to past grievances over the Nobel Peace Prize.

Taken together, critics argue that the unresolved Epstein files, intensified immigration enforcement, and escalating trade threats suggest an administration repeatedly shifting the public spotlight. They warn that unfulfilled transparency promises and rising economic and diplomatic risks may ultimately impact Trump’s own supporters as well as U.S. standing abroad.