‘Not a Serious Publication’: The Daily Beast Brutally Mocked for Publishing Michael Wolff Claim About the Trumps and Jeffrey Epstein
(AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
The Daily Beast is taking its medicine after publishing a story about author and “known fabulist” Michael Wolff’s claim that the late sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein played a role in President Donald Trump meeting First Lady Melania Trump.
Axios’s Alex Isenstadt noted on X Thursday afternoon that the online outlet had “deleted an article it posted about Michael Wolff alleging that Jeffrey Epstein was involved in the introduction of Melania to Donald Trump.”
Where the article used to be, there is now only an editor’s note that reads: “After this story was published, The Beast received a letter from First Lady Melania Trump’s attorney challenging the headline and framing of the article. After reviewing the matter, the Beast has taken down the article and apologizes for any confusion or misunderstanding.”
Wolff is known for making claims of questionable veracity and provenance. In 2018, Wolff falsely suggested that Trump was having an affair with Nikki Haley, who was serving as his ambassador to the United Nations at the time.
As a result, observers were not especially kind to the Beast after its credulous coverage of Wolff’s latest incendiary claim.
Marc Caputo and Alex Thompson — both also of Axios — responded with an old Saturday Night Live clip parodying Wolff, as well as MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough over their gullibility.
“Why any outlet gives Michael Wolff any column inches in 2025 is BEYOND me,” mused Republican operative Steve Guest, who also shared a graphic of a wide variety of people from across the political spectrum denouncing Wolff.
“A serious publication would have editorial standards to avoid such a thing. But the Daily Beast is not a serious publication,” commented another GOP operative, Luke Thompson.
“Do you mean to say that someone believed a single word Michael Wolff said? Can I sell that person a bridge in Brooklyn?” asked Commentary editor John Podhoretz.
“Turns out Michael Wolff might not be reliable. Who could have seen this coming?” mused Aaron Blake of CNN.
But wait, there’s more:
