NBC came under fire after an interview with six women who say they were trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The survivors were pressed about whether they had ever witnessed any inappropriate conduct by Donald Trump related to Epstein; all responded in the negative.  The media outlet’s decision to raise the question—especially in a setting clearly intended to surface new allegations—was seen by some observers as an attempt to solicit damaging statements, a strategy critics argue backfired.

Instead of surfacing new revelations implicating Trump, the survivors used their platform to demand justice, transparency, and accountability. They called on the federal government to release all investigative files in the Epstein case and publicly opposed any possibility of a pardon for Maxwell. Among them, Lisa Phillips announced an initiative for victims themselves to compile a confidential “client list” of individuals they believe were involved with Epstein’s network.

The episode highlights tensions between survivor-centered advocacy and media strategies that prioritize sensationalism. Rather than producing a breakthrough allegation, the approach risked retraumatizing survivors and distracting from their broader demands. The survivors pushed back, demanding systemic transparency and accountability from the Department of Justice and Congress.