Talk show host and actress Whoopi Goldberg used her platform on Tuesday to explain why her name surfaces in the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, firmly rejecting any suggestion of a personal connection to the late convicted sex offender.
Speaking during the opening segment of The View on February 17, 2026, Goldberg asked producers to display a 2013 email on screen, which showed a request for Epstein’s private plane to fly her to Monaco for a charity event hosted by Julian Lennon’s White Feather Foundation.
Epstein declined the plane request, responding “no thanks” in a follow-up message. Co-host Sunny Hostin pointed that out immediately, while Joy Behar observed that the scenario demonstrated how virtually anyone could appear in the files without meaningful connection to Epstein.
Goldberg’s name appears 21 times in the files released by the Department of Justice (DOJ). There is no suggestion that she is guilty of any wrongdoing. Co-host Sara Haines added that other figures, including historical celebrities, appear in the documents simply through news articles, newsletters and third-party correspondence.
Goldberg told the panel she never boarded any plane connected to Epstein and was frustrated by online commentary portraying otherwise. She stressed she was neither his friend nor girlfriend, and that her personal relationships had always been publicly documented.
When Behar noted that President Donald Trump’s name appears in the files tens of thousands of times, Goldberg said she was focused solely on her own situation. “I can’t speak to him, but I’m speaking about me because I’m getting dragged,” she said.
Questions remain, however, as the White Feather Foundation’s website had previously stated that Goldberg flew in from the United States to host the Monaco event and served as master of ceremonies, with photographs included. Goldberg did not directly address how she ultimately made the journey.
