The top elites losing power and position over Epstein fallout

The Trump Department of Justice has faced intense scrutiny for its handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and prosecutors' decision not to bring charges against anybody found in the million-plus-page dossier to have associated with the now-deceased sex-crime offender. But that hasn’t stopped other countries and the private sector from tearing down their own implicated elites.

The most clear example is perhaps former Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whose email exchanges with Epstein along with pictures of him next to women appeared in a recent batch of publicly released files. 

King Charles III late last year formally stripped Andrew of all royal titles, and he was evicted from his residence as a consequence. The move followed long-time concerns and controversy about Andrew's personal and official diplomatic relationship with the wealthy Epstein, which resulted in the Royal Family retiring him from public life years ago, largely after a following a botched interview in which Andrew attempted to defend himself. Still, he is not expected to face criminal prosecution. 

Among the others are:

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem

Bin Sulayem was the chairman and CEO of DP World until earlier this month, when the Dubai government announced the appointment of a new CEO and chairman, without mentioning Bin Sulayem.

His exact relationship with Epstein remains somewhat unclear, though he was one of six men whom Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., named on the House floor as having a connection to Epstein. Four of the men were later revealed to merely be part of a lineup and had no meaningful connection to Epstein in their own right.

Peter Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney

The United Kingdom sacked its ambassador to the United States in September over revelations he maintained a closer relationship with Epstein than was previously known. The scandal also claimed the post of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, who resigned this month over recommending Mandelson for the post.

The development led some to speculate that Starmer himself would follow suit, though he has thus far remained in his position.

Mona Juul

Norway, in particular, has seen a multitude of high-level officials face charges, resign, or lose their positions over the Epstein issue. The former Norwegian ambassador to the UK resigned last week following revelations that her husband received $10 million in Epstein’s will.

Juul and her husband, Terje Rød-Larsen, were key diplomats in negotiating the Oslo Accords in a bid to broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. She previously downplayed the family’s connection to Epstein, according to the Independent.

Thorbjorn Jagland

The former prime minister of Norway was charged with “aggravated corruption” last week in connection with a criminal probe over his ties to Epstein. Jagland led Norway from 1996 to 1997 and served as Secretary general of the Council of Europe from 2009 to 2019.

Jagland also chaired the Norwegian Nobel Committee from 2009 to 2015 and the investigation stems from his possible receipt of gifts, travel, loans, and other perks in connection with his post, the Associated Press reported.

Americans

Kathryn Ruemmler, the chief legal officer for the U.S.-based, multi-nation investment bank Goldman Sachs, announced last week that she would resign her post at the end of June. 

Her decision followed revelations that Epstein had contacted her in the wake of his 2019 arrest. Though Ruemmler previously admitted to knowing Epstein, she had claimed that they maintained only a professional relationship.

The document releases, however, showed that the pair maintained more familiar ties and that she even referred to him as “Uncle Jeffrey.” Ruemmler was also a confidant of Epstein and offered him legal advice on how to address the criminal allegations against him.

And this past weekend, Casey Wasserman, a top Hollywood talent agent whose clients include singers Chappell Roan, Ed Sheeran and Kendrick Lamar, said he was selling his business after communications with convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell were exposed as part of the DOJ's most recent Epstein files dump. 

In 2019, then-Labor Secretary Alex Acosta resigned as a result of his role as U.S. Attorney in Florida in the 2008 plea deal for Epstein, in which he pleaded guilty to procuring a teenager for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute. 

No major political figure appears to have lost his or her job since Trump signed into law in late-2025 Congress's Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the DOJ to publicly release nearly all documents, records and files related to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein and Maxwell. Epstein died in a New York City correctional facility in 2019 awaiting trial on federal sex-crime charges. 

However, the recent Epstein revelations have rocked the Trump Cabinet and forced Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to admit that he did visit Epstein’s private island in 2012, years after Epstein pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution.

Lutnick has denied wrongdoing and Trump has not sought his resignation. He previously claimed to have fully severed his relationship with Epstein in previous years.

Former President Bill Clinton’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein have long been public, though he and his wife, Hillary Clinton, have not escaped public scrutiny in the latest round. The pair defied subpoenas to testify before the House Oversight Committee this year, leading the panel to threaten contempt of Congress charges.

They staved off a contempt vote after agreeing to cooperate with the probe, but have sought a public hearing rather than a private deposition. They are not expected to face any criminal charges in connection with Epstein.

This past weekend, Hillary Clinton, a former secretary of state, said the Epstein files include “very troubling and really horrific information."

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.