Recently, some audio tapes released by a New York journalist have highlighted the link between the financier Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump, also revealing the leadership style of the former US president. An interesting aspect that emerged is the language that Trump used towards his collaborators, in particular towards Steve Bannon, described as a “scoundrel”.

The tapes were released through the podcast series “Fire and Fury,” co-hosted by Michael Wolff, who has written three works about Trump’s first term and his 2020 campaign, and James Truman, a former New Musical Express journalist and managing editor at Condé Nast. The recordings feature Epstein’s observations of the inner workings of the White House and Trump’s inner circle, the Guardian reported.

According to Wolff, the recordings were made during a 2017 interview with Epstein, who tragically died in 2019 while serving time on sex trafficking and other assault charges. In the tapes, Epstein describes how Trump would create rivalries among his staff, naming names like Steve Bannon, Reince Priebus and Kellyanne Conway. “He’ll tell 10 people, ‘Bannon’s a scoundrel,’ ‘Priebus is not doing well,’ and ‘Kellyanne’s got a big mouth — what do you think?’” Epstein says.

Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt quickly responded. She called Wolff a discredited author who often fabricates stories to sell his books. According to Leavitt, the author acted with manipulative intent to sway public opinion in favor of Kamala Harris.

These revelations offer a new perspective on the internal dynamics of the Trump presidency and the personal relationships within his staff. The question of his friendship with Epstein adds further complexity to Trump’s public persona and his political choices.