Peter Attia, a longevity specialist doctor and influencer, has resigned from his commentator role at CBS News following the release of hundreds of emails exchanged with Jeffrey Epstein. These documents are part of a recent batch published by the US Department of Justice. Attia had not yet appeared on air in this capacity.
Peter Attia, a 50-something with over a million YouTube subscribers, was announced in January as part of a new group of commentators for CBS News, led by the new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. However, he withdrew before any on-air appearance, following the disclosure of his emails with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier convicted of sex trafficking minors who died in a New York prison in 2019.
According to Attia's spokesperson, as cited by the Washington Post, the doctor "withdrew so that his involvement does not disrupt the important work being done by CBS." In an email dated June 24, 2015, to Epstein, Attia wrote: "Do you know what the biggest problem is when you become friends with you? The life you lead is so scandalous and yet I can't talk about it to anyone...". More recently, on the social network X, he stated: "I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some embarrassing, in bad taste and indefensible, are now public. It's my responsibility. I accept this reality and the humiliation that comes with it".
Attia's name appears in hundreds of Epstein case documents, though mere mention does not imply any wrongdoing. The scandal has led to resignations from other figures, such as Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton, Thomas Pritzker of the Hyatt group, Kathryn Ruemmler of Goldman Sachs, and David Ross of the Whitney Museum of Art. The documents reveal connections between Epstein and various public figures, often downplayed by them previously.