Epstein Files Trigger Political Shockwaves Across Europe, Renew Scrutiny of Elites
The release of millions of U.S. Department of Justice documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein has sent political shockwaves far beyond Washington, reigniting questions about elite accountability, government transparency, and the long-standing culture of protection surrounding powerful figures.
On Friday, the DOJ made public more than three million pages of investigative materials, along with thousands of videos and photographs, detailing Epstein’s interactions with prominent individuals in the years following his Florida conviction for sex crimes. The records span more than two decades and outline connections to senior political, royal, and business figures—including Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew.
The international fallout was swift. In Slovakia, a senior government official stepped down, while in the United Kingdom renewed pressure mounted on Mountbatten-Windsor to fully cooperate with U.S. investigators.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accepted the resignation of national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak on Saturday after newly released photographs and emails revealed meetings between Lajcak and Epstein in 2018. Although no wrongdoing has been formally alleged, the political pressure proved overwhelming.
Lajcak, a former foreign minister and former president of the U.N. General Assembly, maintained that all interactions were strictly diplomatic in nature. Nonetheless, opposition parties and members of the governing coalition argued that the association itself undermined public trust at a time when transparency is already in short supply.
According to Breitbart, an email sent from Epstein’s office in March 2018 invited Lajcak to a meeting with Kathy Ruemmler, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, and Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump.
In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly urged Mountbatten-Windsor to cooperate fully with American authorities and disclose everything he knows about Epstein’s activities. The former prince, however, has declined a request from the U.S. House Oversight Committee for a comprehensive interview concerning his lengthy association with the convicted sex offender.
The DOJ release also includes Epstein’s correspondence with several high-profile figures, including Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Hollywood producer Steve Tisch, as well as thousands of references to President Donald Trump, who is currently serving his second term as President of the United States.
There have been no public accusations against President Trump or former President Bill Clinton. Both have stated they were unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
Newly released FBI records shed additional light on how long Epstein remained shielded from serious consequences. As early as 2006, agents were investigating claims that Epstein paid underage girls for sexualized massages. By May 2007, prosecutors had prepared a draft federal indictment naming Epstein and three associates.
That case was ultimately derailed by a controversial plea deal brokered by then–U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, allowing Epstein to avoid federal prosecution. Epstein pleaded guilty to a lesser state charge and received an 18-month sentence—a resolution that many critics say exemplifies a two-tiered justice system that favors the well-connected.
The newly released 2007 FBI interview notes are particularly disturbing. One employee at Epstein’s Florida estate reportedly described activities such as fanning $100 bills near Epstein’s bed and cleaning up after massages involving young girls. The documents highlight how deeply normalized exploitation had become inside Epstein’s inner circle—and how glaringly absent meaningful oversight was.
Private emails further personalize the scandal. In a 2010 exchange, Epstein wrote to Mountbatten-Windsor, “I have a friend who I think you might enjoy having dinner with.” Mountbatten-Windsor replied that he “would be delighted to see her.” Epstein later described the woman as “clevere beautiful, trustworthy” in a message riddled with typographical errors.
Epstein’s death in a New York jail in 2019—officially ruled a suicide just weeks after he was charged with federal sex trafficking crimes—closed one chapter of the case. Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Yet no additional individuals have been criminally charged, leaving victims and the public with a sense that accountability remains incomplete.
That frustration is shared by victims such as Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who reached a settlement with Mountbatten-Windsor before tragically taking her own life last year at the age of 41. Many continue to argue that justice has been delayed—and denied.
The ripple effects have extended into elite academic circles as well. In December, former Harvard University president Larry Summers announced he would reduce his public engagements. The announcement followed the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s release of seven years of correspondence between Summers—a prominent Democratic Party figure—and Epstein.
As more documents come to light, the Epstein scandal increasingly appears not as an isolated crime, but as a systemic failure—one that continues to test whether the powerful will ever be held to the same standards as everyone else.