The ghost of Jeffery Epstein, sex-trafficking buddy to the elites, continues to haunt Trump World.
Just this week the Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department warned Trump in May that his name is included in the Epstein files. (The White House called this "fake news.") Those unreleased files, of course, have had the administration running scared all month, with Speaker Mike Johnson recently announcing that U.S. House business would end prematurely to avoid a vote on releasing 'em. The drip, drip, drip of previously unknown Trump-Epstein entanglements keeps accelerating—videos, photos, sketches.
Almost two-thirds of American disapprove of the way Trump is handling the Epstein files, including 36% of Republicans, according to new polling from Quinnipiac. "That is perhaps the most intraparty discontent Mr. Trump has experienced as president," the New York Times reports. Sounding very calm and innocent, Trump lambasted his "PAST" supporters last week as “weaklings” for buying "into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker." (On the campaign trail last fall, Trump replied "yeah, yeah, I would" when asked whether he'd release the Epstein files.)
To discuss all of this, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (DFL-Minnesota) joins us on this episode of RacketCast. Smith has positioned herself on the frontlines of the posting wars, sharing eyebrow-raising Trump-Epstein developments with the abandon of a lawmaker who, at 67 and with retirement fast approaching, has few fucks left to give.
How aggressively will Democrats seize on Trump's greatest PR disaster to date, considering the Epstein files could take down powerful members of her own party? Did Epstein really kill himself inside his jail cell in 2019, as Trump's Justice Department would suddenly like you to believe? Where's the best ice cream in Minnesota? We ask Smith all that and more.
But first! Here are the stories we gabbed about during What I Learned In Racket...
- Meet Minnesota’s Rocketman: Inside the Incomparable Life of Ky Michaelson
- Let’s Try Bloomington’s Buzziest Egg Sandwich
Subscribe to RacketCast wherever you get your podcasts—Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, etc. • Wanna advertise on RacketCast? Email us at advertise@racketmn.com. • Have a food/drink, event, or show recommendation? How about a civic hot take? General or specific question? Call 619-RACKTIP (619-722-5847) with your first name + city + 3-min.-maximum voicemail, and we might play it on a future episode. • Special thanks to local band Van Stee for supplying our podcast music!
This week's RacketCast is brought to you by CannaCon...
Are you ready to take your cannabis business to the next level? Then don’t miss CannaCon St. Paul, happening August 9th and 10th at the RiverCentre. Connect with top industry professionals, explore cutting-edge products, and get insights from expert-led seminars—all timed perfectly with Minnesota’s adult-use rollout. Whether you're a grower, retailer, or new licensee, this is the event you need to attend. Get your tickets now. CannaCon: Where the cannabis industry does business.
And also by Minneapolis Cultural Districts...
Come hungry—and curious. The best meals in Minneapolis might not be where you expect them. The Minneapolis Cultural Districts are packed with locally owned restaurants and markets serving everything from tacos and tamales to sambusas, goat stew, and Indigenous wild rice. These aren’t chain spots, they’re community-rooted, flavor-packed places that locals love and travelers always remember. Start exploring at minneapolis.org/cultural-districts.
