CNN’s MAGA pundit Scott Jennings says people shouldn’t ‘get our knickers in a twist’ over Epstein’s crimes

Scott Jennings, CNN’s resident MAGA pundit, has told Americans not to “get our knickers in a twist” over files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s child sex crimes.

Jennings, a former staffer in the George W Bush administration, smirked as he made the remarks, sending author Leigh McGowan into a rage.

Their bitter clash unfolded on CNN’s Newsnight program, when the topic of conversation turned to the botched release of the Epstein files. Only a fraction of the Department of Justice’s trove of documents related to Epstein has been released, although the tranche of papers now made public has lifted the lid on some of the convicted pedophile’s web of crime.

However, Jennings played down the significance of the files during an appearance on Newsnight.

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“They should follow the law, but let’s not get our knickers in a twist here,” he said, referring to the DOJ’s handling of the files’ release.

“‘Let’s not get our knickers in a twist over child rape’” McGowan replied, speaking in a sarcastic, haughty accent before breaking out into a false laugh. “Why are you talking like that? It’s insane, like it’s insane.

“The Epstein files are a multinational, multi-generational child and woman sex trafficking ring,” she added. “So your attitude right now, your sort of, ‘shucks, devil be gone,’ it’s just horrifying to me.”

The tense conversation turned to the slow release of the files, with many key documents still withheld by the Department of Justice. The deadline for their release has long since passed, and the Epstein Files Transparency Act requires all the files to be released by December 19, 2025.

Jennings said the DOJ “should follow the law,” but McGowan fired back, claiming the Justice Department’s failure to release the files on time constitutes a breach of the law.

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“They are hiding it; It is not the behaviour of innocent people. Everything that is in these files, it could bring an entire house down,” she said. “And, if it has to, it has to.

“If it brings down Democrats, bring them down. If it brings down Republicans, bring them down,” she added. “If it brings down princes, world leaders, Hollywood people, bring them down.”

The road to releasing the Epstein files was a long one, with the president resisting any pressure to make the documents public.

Donald Trump, who is photographed and named in the files many times but has not been accused of wrongdoing, often swatted away questions about the convicted pedophile whenever he was mentioned.

“Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy’s been talked about for years,” Trump said, before describing a question about the disgraced financier as a “waste of time.”

When it became clear that Republicans on Capitol Hill would vote to release the files, Trump reversed his position and signed off on their release.

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The Epstein chaos shattered his formerly rock-solid MAGA base, with loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene turning on Trump for his failure to act quickly in releasing the files.

He has since tried to use the scandal against his political enemies, regularly pointing out that former President Bill Clinton is named and photographed with Epstein in the files.

However, Clinton has insisted that he has nothing to hide and has urged the DOJ to release the files further.

His spokesperson, Angel Ureña, claimed that the Justice Department’s handling of the files makes it “clear” that “someone or something is being protected.”

"We do not know whom, what or why," Ureña wrote. "But we do know this: We need no such protection.”

"Accordingly, we call on President Trump to direct Attorney General Bondi to immediately release any remaining materials referring to, mentioning, or containing a photograph of Bill Clinton," the spokesperson added.