That Phase One Epstein Photo Op Dumpster Fire Just Turned into Self-Inflicted Arson
It’s widely acknowledged that the Epstein Files, Phase One photo op outside the West Wing of the White House flopped badly. Now, six months later, it’s aging even worse than we thought. This, thanks to an interview between Patrick Bet-David and the investigative journalist who acquired and published Epstein’s black book.
At one point, Bet-David challenged Bryant on the veracity of the alleged Epstein Black Book that Bryant acquired in 2012 and published in 2015. What began as a strong challenge from Bet-David, questioning both the origins and the authenticity of the book, ended with a dramatic reversal that underscored the strength of Bryant’s reporting.
Investigative reporter Nick Bryant is the man who first published Epstein’s black book and flight logs back in 2015. He lives this case every day and has a Ph.D. in all things Epstein.
Visit Epstein Justice Home – Epstein Justice
This part of the interview is cued up here. Bet-David obviously realized the implications:
Bet-David rightly zeroed in on a critical vulnerability: Bryant’s admission that he did not receive the book directly from the FBI but instead through an attorney who claimed to have obtained it from them. The implication was clear—without first-hand sourcing, how could Bryant vouch for its authenticity? Adding to the skepticism, Bet-David questioned the chain of custody, suggesting there was no hard proof linking the FBI to Alfredo Rodriguez, the disgraced former Epstein butler who allegedly stole the book. In that moment, the credibility of Bryant’s work seemed precarious, teetering on the edge. Bet-David was indeed skillful in the construction of this argument.
But then came the pivot that changed everything. Bryant reminded the audience of the carefully staged “Phase One” photo op that former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi arranged outside the West Wing of the White House. In that visual, conservative influencers held up the very same pages from the Epstein Black Book that Bryant had published a decade earlier—identical in layout and substance, only with Bondi’s team applying far heavier redactions. The match was undeniable.
Black Book Confirmed Legitimate by… Bondi
That revelation flipped the dynamic. If Bondi’s pages were legitimate government documents—as her high-profile presentation implied—then they could only validate Bryant’s version. The possibility that Bondi staged a White House moment with fabricated records is far more implausible than the conclusion that Bryant’s Black Book was real all along. In that instant, Bet-David’s carefully built and well-reasoned skepticism crumbled under the weight of simple evidence.
This exchange underscores why Nick Bryant’s voice is indispensable in the ongoing unraveling of Epstein’s legacy and networks of power. He not only brings years of careful documentation but also the rare ability to withstand cross-examination in the public arena and emerge with his credibility intact. The Black Book is more than a list—it’s a roadmap of influence, corruption, and complicity that continues to reverberate through politics, media, and finance.
Nick Bryant is available for interviews and commentary to cut through the noise, explain why the Black Book still matters, and show why truth, no matter how contested, finds its way into daylight.
To schedule Nick Bryant: Todd Baumann / 512-966-0983 / Bookings@SpecialGuests.com
Watch Bryant’s Interview with Patrick Bet-David in its entirety here:
Nick Bryant on Patrick Bet David – Special Guests
Relevant Article(s):
The Alpha & Omega of Jeffrey Epstein
The Epstein Scandal Explained – Epstein Justice
Optional Q&A:
- What does the Bet-David exchange reveal about how skeptics often miscalculate when challenging documented evidence?
- How does Pam Bondi’s “Phase One” photo op outside the White House bolster the authenticity of the Black Book?
- Why is it unlikely that Bondi would have presented fabricated or bogus documents at such a high-profile event?
- How has Nick Bryant’s decade-old release of the Black Book stood the test of time despite repeated attacks on its credibility?
- What role does chain of custody play in investigative journalism, and how was that dynamic misunderstood in this case?
- Why does the Black Book remain one of the most consequential documents in exposing Epstein’s networks of influence?
- How does Bryant’s ability to withstand aggressive cross-examination strengthen his position as a credible voice in this investigation?
- What does this exchange tell us about the broader battle between truth-telling journalists and those who try to discredit them?
ABOUT NICK BRYANT…
Nick Bryant is an investigative journalist. He spent seven years investigating a child sex trafficking network that was covered up by state and federal authorities, culminating in The Franklin Scandal: A Story of Powerbrokers, Child Abuse, and Betrayal. The trafficking network I wrote about in The Franklin Scandal has been the focal point of considerable misinformation and/or disinformation on the Internet. Individuals who, perhaps, suffer from psychiatric disorders have woven the Illuminati and shape shifting reptilian ETs into the narrative.
But the book’s foremost transgressor has been Wikipedia. The “Franklin child prostitution ring allegations” Wikipedia page has been under siege by unscrupulous Wikipedia “editors,” and they’ve intentionally made it nonsensical.
The Franklin Scandal and the Epstein scandal are quite similar in the sense that both child trafficking networks were covered up by state and federal authorities and the mainstream media has been complicit, because it never demanded justice for the children whose lives had been disfigured. I started investigating the Epstein network in 2012, when I acquired his “Little Black Book”—seven years before the case broke nationally.
I pitched an article on the Little Black Book for three years to mainstream media outlets, but, like The Franklin Scandal, my pitches were met with unbridled skepticism and incredulity. In 2015, finally, Gawker published the Little Black Book and accompanying articles. I found it ironic that Gawker, considered to be the mean kids in the media, had the fortitude to publish a story about children whose lives have been disfigured with impunity, whereas media outlets ostensibly immersed in integrity had rejected the story.
His latest book, The Truth About Watergate: A Tale of Extraordinary Lies and Liars, details the false narrative that our history books have imparted about the infamous Watergate affair.
ABOUT PETER SHINN…
Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Pete Shinn has an extensive background in the U.S. Air Force as a trainer, journalist, and adult educator. He also served as an executive officer for the Continental NORAD Region Air Operations Center, and as a liaison between the Secretary of the Air Force and U.S. Senate Appropriators.
Beginning in 1989, Shinn began providing interactive diversity and inclusion training to Air Force audiences. In 2008, Shinn was selected to provide leadership, communications, problem solving, and critical thinking skills training at the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School. In 2010, he deployed with the Iowa National Guard to provide agricultural training to farmers in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province.
After returning from Afghanistan, he provided interactive training on the intersection between agriculture and national defense to a variety of organizations, including the National Agri-Marketing Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Pork Board, and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, among others. Pete retired from the Air Force in October 2020 after 36 years of service. He is currently a co-creator at Shinnfluence LLC, a family media and training business.
Pete’s major military awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and the U.S. Army Combat Action Badge. His major civilian awards include the 1998 Nebraska Broadcaster’s Association Gold Service to Agriculture Award, the National Association of Farm Broadcasting President’s Award in 2004 and 2005, and an Emmy Award in 2012 for Best Military Program.
To Schedule an interview with Nick, send an email to Bookings@SpecialGuests.com or call 512-966-0983
