Joe Rogan’s name appears in the Epstein files, but not for the reason many people might assume. In 2017, physicist Lawrence Krauss, a former podcast guest, tried to arrange a meeting between Rogan and Jeffrey Epstein. This came after Epstein’s 2008 conviction and long after his crimes were publicly known. Rogan rejected the idea immediately, responding, “Are you high?
” He later added, “What the f*** are you even talking about? ”
No meeting ever took place. Rogan addressed the episode after the files became public, saying he would never have considered it. “I’m in the files for not going,” he said.
“One of my guests was trying to get me to meet him. I was like, ‘Bitch, are you high? ’” He noted that even in 2017, he had already looked into Epstein and saw enough red flags to walk away. The contrast with others who appeared in Epstein’s orbit is stark.
Bill Gates continued meeting with Epstein after the 2008 conviction, and Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, appears over 2,600 times in the files. Rogan’s refusal came early and without hesitation, a point he has publicly emphasized. More recently, Rogan has turned his attention to what he describes as government backtracking on the Epstein case. In July 2025, he addressed comments made by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had said there were tens of thousands of videos connected to Epstein.
FBI Director Kash Patel later appeared on Rogan’s podcast and walked back that claim, saying the volume of material was still being reviewed. Bondi herself said she had not seen the statement in question. Rogan criticized the administration’s shifting position, noting that Bondi, Patel, and Dan Bongino had all demanded the release of Epstein’s client list before joining the Trump administration. After taking office, those calls stopped, and Rogan said the public was being misled.
“Why did they say there were thousands of hours of tapes of people doing horrible things? ” he asked. He used the word “gaslighting” to describe the administration’s handling of the files. Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024, insisted his criticism was not partisan.
He described a system in which powerful people are given access to things they should not have, then controlled through leverage. “The cynical perspective is that at the highest levels, it’s all being controlled by money,” he said. He suggested Epstein’s operation may have passed recordings to intelligence agencies or corporate clients for blackmail purposes. A separate element of the Epstein fallout involves the Kardashian family.
A victim complaint filed in the Maxwell case, currently available on the Department of Justice website, names the Kardashian sisters. The document has not been tested in court, and no one named in it has been charged. But the filing alleges that Ghislaine Maxwell had a close relationship with the sisters and that they helped use the complainant’s identity. The complaint includes references to pregnancy and surrogacy, claiming eggs were used for pregnancies without consent.
It mentions DNA testing and alleges the Kardashian sisters used the complainant’s name and money to promote their businesses. A cosmetic transaction tied to Kylie Jenner and a $600 million deal is cited, and Kim is named in allegations connected to identity issues and children. Khloe and Kendall are referenced for allegedly taking an interest in the complainant’s marriages and name changes. The complainant admits to lacking documentation to prove all claims and asks investigators to look into them.
The document is messy and at times difficult to follow, and commentators have noted it is complicated to fully assess. Still, the filing connects Maxwell, who was convicted of running a sex trafficking operation, to the Kardashian family. Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner have also filed legal declarations under oath in their ongoing battle with Ray J over the release of Kim’s sex tape. Kris Jenner has said the situation haunts her daily.
The dispute centers on whether Kim and Kris were involved in planning the tape’s release. Ray J fueled the controversy during a livestream in which he said, “This federal RICO though on AKA Chris… I’m about to drop on Chris. ” He later filed a countersuit against Kim, calling her lawsuit a public relations move. Paris Hilton’s response to the Epstein files has also drawn attention.
Her name appeared in recent document releases, and insiders say she has become frustrated by the public scrutiny. Hilton has denied knowing Maxwell despite photos of them at events together. A documentary titled Surviving Jeffrey Epstein includes an account claiming Maxwell saw Hilton at a party and asked for an introduction to Epstein. Kim Kardashian began her career as Hilton’s stylist and assistant, often appearing in the background of photos.
Insiders say Kim used that proximity to enter the same elite circles as Hilton. Hilton has reportedly watched Kim become a billionaire while she herself faced criticism, and sources now say she is speaking with investigators about what she knows. The FBI investigation into Epstein’s network has not closed, though it has gone quiet. Rogan’s point about powerful people going quiet remains central to the theories surrounding the case.
Whether the Kardashian connections in the victim complaint will lead anywhere remains an open question, but the pressure continues to build in one direction.
