Sensationalization of the Epstein Files

It’s all over the news: any move by the United States government is a distraction from the Epstein files. The pending release of the files, a set of documents detailing the trials surrounding late sex offender and child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, has consumed the attention of national media, especially over the last few months.

This level of coverage is somewhat warranted, as the release of the files is certainly an important step towards transparency of the American judicial system and justice for the victims of Epstein’s abuse. However, mainstream media tends to focus on speculation, the potential of scandal among high-profile individuals named in the files. The prioritization of sensationalist headlines comes at the expense of coverage of real, lived consequences for Epstein’s victims and reflects how modern media is turning away from facts and human impact.

Times when the media manipulates its journalism to sensationalize have historically been marked by societal turmoil and fear, an erosion of trust, and the subsequent exacerbation of divisions. Yellow journalism in the 1890s exaggerated or falsified Spanish atrocities in Cuba and played a key role in starting the costly Spanish-American War. The reports of U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy’s largely baseless accusations being featured on the front page of newspapers without critical investigation ultimately fueled the Red Scare.

It seems that the modern press, too, has devolved into a propagator of drama with little regard for fact. Sensationalized journalism has resulted in only 28 percent of Americans trusting in the media, according to a poll conducted by Gallup in October 2025—an all-time low. This lack of trust has the potential to paralyze any political discourse and even undermine the integrity of elections.

The central problem with the media coverage of the Epstein files is the way in which it dramatizes actual instances of abuse and disregards the stories of victims. Related media headlines have devolved into an endless cycle of accusations over which politicians and high-profile figures may have been involved, becoming increasingly separated from the realities of the hundreds of young women now living with the weight of trauma. A serious matter has been weaponized as a tool for defamation by both political parties, and our media has taken full advantage of this as an opportunity to garner more views.

In November of 2025, the brother of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre spoke out against the rampant politicization delaying the release of the files, saying: “My sister is not a political tool for you to use. These are real stories, real trauma, and it's time for you to stop just talking about it and act.” Giuffre died by suicide in 2025 after spending the majority of her adult life as an advocate against sex trafficking. Yet her legacy was reduced by media narratives to just another name in the redacted parts of the files that might have incriminated U.S. President Donald Trump. A life cut short became a pawn in a game of clickbait and finger-pointing that has dragged on for years. Through this story and countless others, the true danger of sensationalization becomes evident.