Joe Scarborough defended President Donald Trump from unfounded claims he abused young girls in a bizarre segment from Friday’s episode of Morning Joe.
Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Scarborough’s guest, was asked what he felt Democrat messaging should be ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Moulton, 47, said Dems could hit Republicans on the White House protecting criminals in the Jeffrey Epstein case.
“What you see time and again from this White House, you know, if you’re a criminal, you’re going to buy your way to freedom with Trump,” said Moulton.
Characterizing the White House’s attitude toward those potentially implicated in the Epstein files, Moulton said, “If you are one of the people like him who took advantage of young girls with Jeffrey Epstein, then we’re going to sort of make that go away.”
This immediately made Scarborough jump in.
“We don’t have evidence he took advantage of young girls with Jeffrey Epstein,” said the 62-year-old MSNBC host, defending the president.
“Right, right,” replied Moulton with a smirk. “Just, common sense be damned.”
Scarborough pressed on, and said the facts don’t support the allegation that Trump is in the Epstein files.
“He’s obviously in the Epstein files,” said Moulton. “The reason that Speaker Johnson has us on vacation is because he does not want to see the newly-elected representative from Arizona...”
“But you said he took advantage of young girls,” interrupted Scarborough, looking nervously to camera. “You have absolutely no evidence of that.”
“I think it’s pretty obvious that that’s what’s going on,” said Moulton coolly.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Rep. Moulton for comment.
Moulton was laying out the case that House Speaker Mike Johnson was keeping the House of Representatives out of session, which he’s now done for weeks, to delay the swearing in of Democratic Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva. Grijalva signaled she will be the final signature on a petition needed to bring a vote on releasing the full Epstein files to the House floor.
Other Democrats have argued that Johnson is delaying the swearing in of Grijalva, which he is constitutionally obligated to do and could do at any time, to delay the Epstein files vote. Johnson has offered numerous flimsy excuses for the delay.
Democratic Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, as well as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have accused Johnson of “protecting pedophiles” by not swearing in Grijalva.
However, Democratic politicians have generally stopped short of publicly accusing Trump of abusing young women with Epstein. Trump had a relationship with Epstein, and victims have said Epstein’s Trump friendship was the late sex offender’s “biggest brag.”
Trump also allegedly sent Epstein a birthday card with a drawing of a naked woman and the phrase “May every day be a wonderful secret.”
Still, there is no evidence that Trump abused young women with Epstein, nor any allegations of abuse by Trump from Epstein survivors.
Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by 28 women in different incidents.
