Peter Attia Resigns From CBS News After Epstein Files Show Exchanges
peter attia has resigned from his role as a CBS News contributor after the public release of correspondence linking him to Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosures and the ensuing backlash prompted an apology from Attia, a separate corporate departure, and swift personnel action within the network.
Jeffrey Epstein file disclosure and timeline
More than 3 million files connected to the federal government’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein were released just days after Attia joined CBS News. The material included multiple instances of communication between Attia and Epstein, most from the mid-2010s—years after Epstein had pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution charges involving a minor. One exchange from 2016 stands out in the disclosed messages in which Attia is quoted as insinuating that female genitalia is considered "low carb. " The timing of those messages, occurring well after Epstein’s 2008 guilty plea, is central to the controversy that followed.
Bari Weiss announcement placing Attia among 19 contributors
Less than a month before his resignation, Attia was announced as one of 19 new contributors brought into CBS News as part of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss’s effort to overhaul the news division. He joined the network only a few days before the mass file release, placing the newly created contributor role in immediate and unforeseen turmoil.
Peter Attia resignation and internal communications
Attia’s resignation from the contributor post was disclosed in an email to employees in the booking department of CBS News on Monday. An executive had circulated a list of the network’s new contributors with points of contact last week, and Attia’s name did not appear on that roster. CBS News insiders expressed unhappiness that the network had not acted more quickly to remove him from the list.
Apology, clarifications and corporate fallout
After the files became public, Attia posted a lengthy apology on social media and shared the message with his team and patients. He wrote: "I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless and indefensible, are now public, and that is on me. " He also clarified that he "was not involved in any criminal activity" and that his interactions "with Epstein had nothing to do with his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone. " Attia stated he had never been on Epstein’s plane or visited his island.
In addition to resigning from the CBS contributor role, Attia stepped down from his position as chief science officer for David, a protein bar company, in the aftermath of the Epstein files release. A spokesperson for Attia characterized the contributor role as newly established and said it "had not yet meaningfully begun, " adding: "As such, he stepped back to ensure his involvement didn’t become a distraction from the important work being done at CBS. He wishes the network and its leadership well and has no further comment at this time. "
The Hollywood Reporter disclosure and public profile
The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news of Attia’s departure. Attia is the host of the podcast The Peter Attia Drive and the author of the bestseller Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity, elements of his public profile that helped make his appointment notable and that likely intensified scrutiny once the Epstein correspondence appeared in the released files.
What makes this notable is how quickly a newly announced role was undone: joining the network just days before the files were released led directly to public scrutiny, an apology, an exit from a corporate post and removal from internal contributor lists. The sequence—file disclosure, public messages and personnel moves—demonstrates a direct cause-and-effect chain that reshaped Attia’s professional standing within a matter of weeks.
Unclear in the provided context is whether CBS News will reopen the contributor seat or take further personnel actions related to the overhaul led by Bari Weiss. For now, the network’s contributor list has been circulated without Attia’s name, and his formal relationship with CBS has been severed pending any further statements.
