Name: White House weighs in on release of some Jeffrey Epstein files
Uploaded: 2025-12-20T00:39:51.793Z
Duration: 2 min 52 s
Description: The White House issued a brief statement on Friday after the Justice Department released some files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.

The White House issued a brief statement on Friday after the Justice Department released some files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.

Washington

The White House released a statement in response to the publication of some Jeffrey Epstein files, emphasizing the Trump administration's transparency and efforts to support Epstein's victims, while also highlighting Democratic ties to Epstein. President Trump did not take questions at a public event, citing a focus on prescription drug prices, as reporters speculated about possible avoidance of the Epstein topic.

Additionally, the White House confirmed recent U.S. military strikes against ISIS in Syria, stating they fulfill President Trump's promise to retaliate for the killing of Americans. The administration also announced that nine drug companies will adopt 'most favored nation' pricing for their products, aiming to match the lowest global prices, with the president suggesting similar strategies may be used to address insurance rates.

White House weighs in on release of some Jeffrey Epstein files

CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Nancy Cordes joins us now. Nancy, how is the White House reacting? The White House put out a brief statement having to do with the Epstein files. They said that this shows that the Trump administration is the most transparent in history, that they've done more for the victims of Epstein than any other administration. And they looked to turn the focus to Democrats who asked Jeffrey Epstein for money. The president, interestingly, had a public event earlier today, almost always takes questions at those events that he does in the Oval Office, or in this case in the Roosevelt Room today. He didn't take questions, which was notable. He said it was because he wanted to keep the focus on prescription drug prices, but it left a lot of reporters in the room wondering whether it was really the Epstein files that he wanted to avoid discussing as he heads out the door to talk about the economy in North Carolina later. We are also following these U.S. strikes on ISIS targets in Syria. Is the White House saying anything? They put out a one-sentence statement a short time ago, Lindsey. Here's what they said. They said, President Trump told the world that the United States would retaliate for the killing of our heroes by ISIS in Syria, and he is delivering on that promise. And it is true. Earlier this week, after the strikes that left two Americans dead and a civilian interpreter, he said that he would retaliate. In fact, he said there will be a lot of damage. And he made it clear that he didn't blame the Syrian president, but that he viewed this as an attack on Syria and America alike. So he made it pretty clear that there would be some kind of retaliation. We just didn't know that it would happen this soon. And speaking of the announcement today, Nancy, going back to that, President Trump announced nine drug companies would apply what's known as most favored nation prices to their product. Let's watch a little bit of the president's remarks. Whatever the drug sales were over the world, in the world, whatever the lowest number is, if it's Germany, if it's in UK, anywhere, we will match that price. How did this deal come to fruition? What's in it for these companies and who will benefit and when? That's a quadruple question. Lots of pressure brought to bear by this administration on drug companies, warning them that if they did not go along with this plan and reduce their prices for prescription drugs being sold here in the U.S., that they would tariff those prescription drugs when they were sold abroad. And in fact, the president said today that he's so pleased with how well that strategy worked that he may try to apply a similar strategy to insurance companies next to try to pressure them to bring down their rates. Nancy Cordes, thank you.

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