Maggie Haberman's latest Trump panic porn is peak hyperbole—again.

The failing NYT piece (excerpt from her upcoming book) breathlessly describes White House aides using the Situation Room for meetings on Epstein file releases, painting it as a "freakout" and "paralysis" proving Trump has something to hide. Give me a break. 

• Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, mandating massive DOJ/FBI releases. They dumped over 3.5 million pages, videos, and images by early 2026—far more transparency than the prior administration ever delivered.
  
  
• Files mentioned Trump (as they did Clinton, Gates, etc.) via old social ties and flight logs, plus tons of unverified tips and sensational claims (many election-timed garbage). No client list, no proven new crimes tying him to Epstein's underage trafficking. DOJ explicitly noted many were dubious. 
   
• Aides debating strategy, leaks, and base anger? That's called governing, not a scandal. Every administration does damage control in secure rooms. Haberman frames routine meetings (with Vance pushing more releases and even a Tucker-Maxwell idea) as evidence of guilt. Classic.

Haberman has built her career on anonymous sourcing and ominous Trump narratives that often fizzle. This is the same recycled insinuation playbook: Trump knew Epstein socially decades ago in NYC/Palm Beach (pre-crimes conviction), distanced after, and now his team is "covering up" by... releasing millions of documents under his watch. If there's real dirt, release it. Otherwise, this is just more narrative-driven "journalism" designed to keep the "Trump is guilty of something" smear alive. Haberman looks foolish chasing ghosts while the files are public. The base wanted transparency—Trump delivered more than expected. The outrage machine keeps spinning regardless.