Epstein Survivors Advised To Smile More As Trump Rebrands Oval Office Exchange

Epstein abuse survivors were briefly invited into the national conversation this week before being gently encouraged to consider smiling more.

During an Oval Office event intended to highlight administration priorities, President Donald Trump found himself fielding persistent questions from CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins about the latest batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents. The president had framed the disclosures as politically damaging to Democrats. Collins noted that the files also referenced ties between Epstein and two of Trump’s allies: Elon Musk and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Trump dismissed the significance of those references, stating he had not reviewed the emails but was “sure they’re fine,” adding that there would have been major headlines otherwise. There were headlines.

Collins then raised concerns from survivors of Epstein’s abuse regarding redactions in the newly released documents, including fully blacked-out witness interviews. Trump responded that it might be “time for the country to get on to something else,” noting that nothing in the files implicated him.

When Collins asked what he would say to survivors who feel they have not received justice, Trump shifted from document transparency to media performance critique.

“You are the worst reporter,” he told her, adding that he had never seen her smile. He suggested that her lack of visible enthusiasm might be connected to dishonesty. Collins replied that she was asking about survivors of sexual abuse.

Trump referenced what he described as a conspiracy against him related to a previously disclosed email exchange in which author Michael Wolff urged Epstein to help damage Trump’s 2016 campaign after the release of the Access Hollywood tape. Epstein did not do so.

The exchange concluded when Trump turned to another reporter, who changed the subject. Shortly thereafter, White House social media accounts posted a clip of the interaction with a caption describing the president’s performance as having “nuked” the reporter.

The confrontation was not unprecedented. In 2020, Trump walked out of a press conference after Collins refused to redirect questioning at his request.

This week’s Oval Office moment added a new layer to a recurring theme:

Questions about document redactions.

Responses about facial expressions.

Concerns about justice.

Clips about dominance.

The files remain partially blacked out.

The exchange remains fully visible.

Smiles, apparently, are optional.