Name: Andrew's arrest puts pressure on US prosecutors | DW News
Uploaded: 2026-02-20T17:01:24.000Z
Duration: 4 min 15 s
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With investigations on the Epstein files continuing on both sides of the Atlantic, many are wondering who's next.

Basic passive voice

President Donald Trump was asked about the former Prince Andrew and whether he thought any associates of Jeffrey Epstein in the US Would wind up in handcuffs.

I think it's so bad for the Royal Family.

To me, it's a very sad thing when I see that.

It's really interesting because nobody used to speak about Epstein.

But I'm the one that can talk about it because I've been totally exonerated.

So what impact could Andrew's arrest have on the Epstein files investigation in the U. S.

i put that question to Scott Lucas, professor of American Studies at University College Dublin.

I think the immediate impact is we get headlines for, you know, at least a few days regarding Andrew, because there's a lot of attention to the UK royalty in the American media in normal times.

But I think in these abnormal times, of course, the more attention the White House is hoping to Andrew, the less attention there is to the fundamental question of accountability and transparency over both the redactions in the files that came out and in the files that are being withheld.

The reason why I think that will not work is that I think there is still a great deal of public interest in getting all the files out there.

And specifically, it's that handful of Republican legislators who will not let this go.

You'll recall that back in November, we only got the bill for the release of the Epstein files because of four Republicans who joined the Democrats to demand this.

But more importantly, in the last three weeks, those Republicans have said they are not satisfied with the limited release of information.

And when they were able to get in and see some of the files that had been redacted, only a small portion of them, they were able to come out and give a couple of key names of people who are implicated in the files.

So I think when you look at representatives like Thomas Massie, when you look at Nancy Mace, Marjorie Taylor Greene, they're going to keep up the pressure on the Trump camp.

And I think some Trump supporters will support that move, that they do want the transparency, which means that the Trump folks can't hold the line and stonewall.

Just wondering, Scott, what sort of political fallout you see coming from this.

Because the investigation, at least in the UK is ongoing and, you know, a lot of people are still looking into it in the US as well.

Could we see US Prosecutors pursuing further cases in connection with the Epstein files?

And if so, who do you think could be affected?

Well, I think you already have implications that Les Wexner, who is the 88 year old retail magnet and who was considered as a possible co conspirator by prosecutors around the time of Jeffrey Epstein's death and just afterwards, you know, his name was unredacted by the legislators when they saw the files a few weeks ago.

Tom Pritzker, you know, who is the head of Hyatt, has had to resign at least as CEO.

Larry Summers, the economist, decided to step back from his positions.

Now that doesn't mean that these folks will eventually face prosecution, but

they've at least taken the reputational hit politically.

And that's the key thing here, is that politicians, however, so far have been shielded from this.

I can't tell you if Donald Trump will be prosecuted.

What I can tell you is, is that one of the files that did make it through the stonewall by the White House and that I spoke about with DW days ago, that is concerning the sexual abuse of a victim in the 1980s when she was between 13 and 15 by Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump could be implicated in that case.

Scott, thank you very much for talking with us again today.

That was Scott Lucas from University College Dublin.

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Andrew's arrest puts pressure on US prosecutors | DW News

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