Epstein and America’s two-tier justice system

In this “ask ian,” Ian Bremmer addresses the renewed attention on the Epstein files and the anger they’ve reignited about power and accountability in the United States.

“So many of these leaders are getting away with it,” Ian says, pointing to how figures across politics, business, and finance have faced little to no consequence.

Ian argues that the controversy underscores a deeper problem: a justice system that treats the powerful differently. Trump promised to “drain the swamp,” but on this issue the outcome has been the opposite. Ian notes, "He said he was going to end this two-tier system of justice. And he has not only not done that, but he's made it worse.”

For Ian, the fallout from Epstein remains a potent symbol of elite impunity and a political liability that refuses to go away.