“The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg addressed her name appearing in the Jeffrey Epstein files during the show on Tuesday, shutting down any link to the late sex offender. Goldberg asked for the specific document to be shown on screen “in the name of transparency.” The 2013 email in question reveals that a request was made for Goldberg to use Epstein’s private plane to travel to Monaco for a charity event.
Goldberg explained that the request was made on her behalf by Julian Lennon’s charity, though the email incorrectly credited John Lennon. The document released by the Justice Department showed Epstein responding with a curt “no thnaks [sic]” to the inquiry. Goldberg emphasized that she never flew on the plane and pointed out her well-known fear of flying as a primary reason.
“Well, this is my point! Because I’m telling you, when I tell you people are trying to turn me into, I wasn’t his girlfriend. I wasn’t his friend,” Goldberg told the audience. Co-host Joy Behar quipped that Goldberg was “too old” for Epstein, a comment Goldberg acknowledged while lamenting the lack of “facts” in modern reporting. She stated that she was being “dragged” by people who mistakenly believe she was a frequent associate of the disgraced financier.
The exchange took a sharp turn when Behar attempted to bring up President Donald Trump’s presence in the files. Goldberg quickly shut down the pivot, insisting that she was speaking strictly about her own situation. “I’m speaking about me because I’m getting dragged,” she reiterated, noting that any man she has ever been with has been well-documented by the press.
Attorney General Pam Bondi recently announced that “all” Epstein files have now been released in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The list includes over 300 high-profile names, including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama. Bondi’s letter clarified that names appear in a “wide variety of contexts” and do not necessarily imply wrongdoing or a close relationship with Epstein.
Liberal critics have been quick to highlight Republican names on the list, but Goldberg’s public defense highlights the bipartisan fallout of the document dump. The “View” co-hosts have discussed the files extensively, often clashing over which names deserve the most scrutiny. For Goldberg, the focus remains on clearing her name from what she describes as a “fictional” narrative surrounding her 2013 travel request.