The Atlantic is quite upset over the results of the Epstein files, apparently, They just find it all so disgusting and shameful, but also want to be clear there is no evidence there was some 'grand conspiracy'.
The Epstein files reveal that plenty of powerful people tolerated or participated in disgusting, shameful, and even criminal behavior—but they also bolster the case that there never was any grand conspiracy, @GiladEdelman argues. https://t.co/1bOtPSxuvQ
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) February 17, 2026
In the case of Jeffrey Epstein, association seems to imply guilt. And so the release of the so-called Epstein files is generating a wave of firings, resignations, and public apologies.
The health influencer Peter Attia had to resign from a protein-bar company after emails showed him participating in crude banter with Epstein. CBS News, where Attia was recently hired as a contributor, pulled a 60 Minutes segment featuring him. Brad Karp, who in one email to Epstein gushed, “You’re amazing,” is stepping down as chair of the law firm Paul Weiss. Queen’s University Belfast has announced that it is removing former U.S. Senator George Mitchell’s name from its peace institute and his bust from its campus. Mitchell, who is now 92 years old, presided over the negotiation of the Good Friday agreement in 1998 and served as the school’s chancellor for a decade. But the files suggest that Epstein had scheduled a meeting with him as recently as 2013. Los Angeles officials are calling for the city’s Olympic Committee chair to resign because he exchanged flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, in 2003. The number of people who have put out statements insisting that they did nothing illegal and apologizing for having ever known Epstein is in the dozens and rising quickly. Nothing comparable happened in the cases of other high-profile sex criminals. The many famous friends of Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby generally did not issue public apologies. Epstein is different because, under a certain set of assumptions, an individual’s presence in the files is presumptively damning. Epstein is known to have paid or coerced dozens, possibly hundreds, of teen girls, some as young as 14, to perform sexual acts. Beyond what has been proved, the conventional wisdom holds that Epstein built his network by trafficking teen girls to other powerful men, whom he then blackmailed to generate his mysterious wealth; that his private plane and island were essentially brothels; and that even friends who didn’t participate in his crimes were surely aware of them, and chose to consort with him anyway.
The Atlantic owner with her best friend. pic.twitter.com/TXD5rFOn1P
— JWF (@JammieWF) February 17, 2026
Just one thing. The big boss lady at The Atlantic is past besties with Ghislaine Maxwell. That seems kind of important.
I mean, maybe not, but the owner of your rag was BFFs with Ghislaine, so pardon us for not trusting you as unbiased reporters.
— Sour Patch Mom ن (@sourpatchlyds) February 17, 2026
Maybe they should reveal the whole truth about the owner's background with their readers. That only seems fair.
Speaking of power people who tolerated or participated in the Epstein circle, meet the owner of The Atlantic, Laurene Powell Jobs.
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) February 17, 2026
In 2015, Jeffrey Epstein wanted someone to connect him with LPJ. Which raises questions:
When was this photo of LPJ and Ghislaine Maxwell taken —… https://t.co/rICOZbrdi8 pic.twitter.com/sOpaqfGUKl
Thankfully, people on X are very willing to fill in the blanks.
Let's not bicker and argue about who participated in disgusting, shameful, and even criminal behavior with who https://t.co/l05HdArfbw pic.twitter.com/JKB8g1SBtQ
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) February 17, 2026
Also the Atlantic... pic.twitter.com/RUpdojYvlN
— Circus Midget Prime (@Ameible1) February 17, 2026
Maybe The Atlantic isn't entirely non-biased here.