Cbs News Contributor Peter Attia Steps Down After Epstein File Exchanges Spark Backlash

Celebrity doctor Peter Attia has stepped down from his role as a cbs news contributor after exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein were included in documents published by the US Department of Justice. The resignation, announced as the exchanges drew public attention, underscores how archival material can reverberate and affect media appointments.

Cbs News role and the resignation

Attia's spokesman said the contributor role was newly established and had not yet meaningfully begun; he would step back to avoid becoming a distraction from the important work being done at the broadcaster. Attia was one of 19 contributors appointed by the new editor-in-chief earlier in the year following the network's takeover by its new owner.

The decision to step down follows anger from some of Attia's followers after his name appeared in the published Department of Justice documents. Appearing in those files does not imply any wrongdoing, but the presence of explicit exchanges prompted the broadcaster-facing announcement and public scrutiny.

Peter Attia's exchanges with Epstein and Attia's response

The exchanged emails include a number of messages between Attia and Jeffrey Epstein. One exchange contained a crass comment about women's bodies. In a separate exchange, Attia wrote that he went into "withdrawal when I don't see him" and told Epstein he missed him. One email dated 2016 included a joking reference to female anatomy and sexual acts.

Attia has repeatedly apologised for the messages and emphasised he had no involvement in Epstein's criminality. He shared a lengthy public note in which he rejected being "involved in any criminal activity" and stressed that he was never on Epstein's plane, never on his island, and never present at any sex parties. Attia said he visited Epstein at the financier's New York City home on seven or eight occasions between 2014 and 2019 and that he never witnessed illegal activity or saw Epstein accompanied by anyone who appeared to be underage.

Key documented points drawn from public documents and Attia's response:

• Emails between Attia and Epstein were included in Department of Justice files made public.
• One 2016 message included a crude joke about female anatomy and sexual acts.
• Attia apologised for the messages, denied involvement in criminal activity, and provided details of limited social visits to Epstein's New York home between 2014 and 2019.
• Appearing in the published files does not, by itself, imply wrongdoing.

Context, fallout and what comes next

The departure removes a newly installed contributor from the broadcaster's roster as leadership reshaped the contributor slate earlier in the year. The new editor-in-chief brought in a range of experts to cover topics from health to national security; the incoming leadership has been associated with a broader effort by the broadcaster's new owner to reshape coverage and staffing decisions.

The wider context includes longstanding legal history connected to Epstein: he was convicted of soliciting a minor in 2008 as part of a plea deal and died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on additional charges. Those facts have framed public interest in the newly published documents and the attention now paid to individuals whose names appear within them.

This remains a developing story. Further updates or clarifications from the parties involved may emerge, and details may evolve as more information is made public.