Whoopi Goldberg Sets the Record Straight as Her Name Appears in the Epstein Files

Whoopi Goldberg is addressing questions after her name surfaced in the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files. The reference traces back to a single document.

On February 17, 2026, episode of "The View," Whoopi Goldberg addressed the controversy after viewers began circulating a 2013 document that included her name.

She said she has been "getting dragged" as speculation spread online. At the center of the reaction is a single email exchange — one she chose to read aloud.

Goldberg Confronts the Controversy

In the show, Goldberg told viewers, "In the name of transparency, my name is in the files." She then displayed a May 8, 2013, email stating, "Whoopi Goldberg needs a plane to get to Monaco. John Lennon's Charity is paying for it."

The redacted sender asked Jeffrey Epstein whether he would "offer the GII," apparently referring to one of his aircraft. Epstein replied, "no thnaks (sic)."

As Goldberg read the exchange aloud, co-host Joy Behar responded, "So in other words, anybody can be on this list."

Records released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) show Goldberg's name also appears in archived news articles included in the investigative files. The May 2013 email appears to be the only document reflecting direct contact, and she has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Still, as speculation spread online, Goldberg addressed it directly: "I wasn't his girlfriend. I wasn't his friend."

Goldberg's clarification comes as the broader release of DOJ records continues to generate online debate.

As previously reported, the department has published thousands of pages from its Epstein records archive, including documents that reference a Grammy-winning rapper in multiple contexts.

As excerpts from the records circulated, distinctions between those references were often blurred, prompting pop singer Lizzo to publicly address the discussion.

Inside the DOJ Files: What the Records Show

One document in the DOJ archive is a redacted email sent to Epstein on July 15, 2013, at 2:18 a.m. EDT. The email carries the subject line "Lessons From the Jay-Z Business Model -- Vulture." The only visible commentary in the message is the brief phrase "Extremely clever."

A separate document in the archive is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intake report dated July 10, 2019, at 8:20 a.m. EDT.

The report summarizes a call made to the FBI's National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) by an individual who identified herself as a victim of sexual abuse involving Epstein and others.

Within that report, the unidentified caller recounts alleged experiences and names several individuals as part of her narrative.

The names visible in the document include Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), Leon Black, and William Barr. The document also includes the name "Weinstein."

As the documents gained traction online, the focus then shifted to the comments Lizzo shared publicly.

Lizzo Responds With a Hypothetical Comparison

In a now-deleted TikTok video shared on X, Lizzo addressed the reaction surrounding the DOJ files and offered an analogy as a way to defend Jay-Z:

"If you stole an apple from Walmart and you were on trial for stealing an apple from Walmart, is every person in your phone an accomplice? Is every person in your phone, is every email you sent to a person, or speaking about a person or does that -- does that make a person complicit, does that make a person a bad guy? No. No. It doesn't."

Lizzo later pointed to the email reference specifically, "He referenced Jay-Z once. He was like, 'oh, we could learn from Jay-Z's business model.' Why are y’all… Where's the crime? Focus."

The conversation quickly moved beyond the video itself.

Netizens React and Push Back

Lizzo's now-deleted TikTok prompted immediate questions after the post disappeared. Following the deletion, commenters continued the conversation in her other post on the platform.

Someone else wrote, "why you defending JayZ [sic]?" Others simply noted the moment as it happened, commenting, "She deleted the video 😂."

The discussion then spread to X. A different viewer supported the singer's stance, "Lizzo is right" and another stated, "she's correct." Others were more critical, typing, "Girl if his own wife ain’t out here defending him then why are you?"

The mixed reaction reflects the broader divide online as the DOJ's Epstein file release continues to prompt debate, interpretation, and public responses from those whose names appear in the records.