Trump’s Fed chair pick Kevin Warsh appears in newly released Epstein files

WASHINGTON, DC: Just hours after President Donald Trump announced Kevin Warsh as his nominee for the next chairman of the Federal Reserve, Warsh’s name appeared in the recently released Jeffrey Epstein case files.

The Justice Department released over 3 million pages of documents on Friday, January 30, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. These documents reference powerful figures, including President Trump, Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, and a former Obama White House counsel.

Kevin Warsh’s role in the Epstein Files

According to reports, Warsh’s name appeared in emails related to Epstein events, including a guest list for “St. Barth’s Christmas 2010,” which featured celebrities and wealthy individuals such as Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich and director Brett Ratner.

Warsh also appeared on a list of attendees at a dinner hosted by British aristocrat William Astor. It remains unclear whether Warsh had personal knowledge of Epstein or why he was included in the communications.

Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor and bank executive now at the conservative Hoover Institution, was considered a relatively conventional pick for Fed chair, though he recently expressed support for Trump’s desire for lower interest rates. 

His presence in the Epstein files may be linked to his social connections; his wife, Jane Lauder, is a billionaire heiress and daughter of Republican donor Ronald Lauder, placing him in the same elite circles Epstein operated within.

Before this revelation, Warsh’s most notable controversy involved his connection to Lauder, who reportedly influenced Trump’s interest in Greenland during his first term. Even before the Epstein connection surfaced, Warsh faced obstacles in securing confirmation.

Senator Thom Tillis stated he would maintain his hold on any Fed nomination, including Warsh, until the Trump administration withdrew a politically charged investigation into sitting Fed chair Jerome Powell.

DOJ releases new tranche of Epstein files, drawing fresh scrutiny

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that the document release met the legal requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed in November 2025 to ensure transparency and public access to federal records related to Epstein.

Blanche noted the department withheld materials that could jeopardize ongoing investigations or expose victims. The DOJ also tasked hundreds of lawyers with reviewing the records to determine what needed redaction to protect the identities of abuse victims.

Several Democrats questioned the scope of the release. “The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions. This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld,” said Rep Ro Khanna, who co-sponsored the law requiring the release.

While Trump has acknowledged a long-standing friendship with Epstein, he has denied involvement in Epstein’s personal or social affairs. Blanche also rejected claims that the DOJ protected influential figures, including Trump.

Blanche addressed speculation about hidden information, stating, “There’s this built-in assumption that somehow there’s this hidden tranche of information ‌of men that we know about, that we’re covering up, or that we’re not, we’re choosing not to prosecute. That is not the case."