COLUMN: Epstein, Musk, and Zuckerberg—The Cursed Dinner That Has Rocked Silicon Valley

Musk and Zuckerberg in Damage Control Mode

As soon as the photo was posted, Musk and Zuckerberg’s communications teams sprang into action. The goal: to minimize the impact, divert attention, and salvage what they could. Musk was the first to respond on X (formerly Twitter), describing the dinner as “just a meeting between entrepreneurs” and claiming he had “no idea” about Epstein’s criminal activities at the time. A response that immediately drew ridicule. Because Musk, known for his intelligence and curiosity, is also a man who reads, stays informed, and analyzes. A man who, in 2015, could not have been unaware of who Epstein was. A man who, above all, has a duty to do his due diligence before sitting down at the table with a man like him.

Zuckerberg, for his part, chose silence. Or almost. Through a spokesperson, he stated that he had “no specific recollection” of that evening and that his presence was “innocuous.” A response that speaks volumes. Because when you have nothing to hide, you don’t say you don’t remember. You say you were there. You explain why. You own up to it. But Zuckerberg, for his part, prefers selective amnesia. A classic strategy: in the absence of damning evidence, deny everything outright, downplay it, and wait for the storm to pass.

Yet the declassified documents tell a different story. A story in which Epstein, the host, organized parties where boundaries were pushed, where young women were exploited, and where guests were filmed, photographed, and recorded. A story in which Musk and Zuckerberg—by staying, smiling, and playing along—became accomplices. Not accomplices to Epstein’s crimes. But accomplices to his system. Accomplices to his impunity. Accomplices to his silence. And today, as the victims demand justice, as questions pile up, and as the pressure mounts, they prefer to deny. To downplay. To divert attention. As if, deep down, they knew they’d screwed up. As if, deep down, they knew they had no excuse.

What strikes me about Musk and Zuckerberg’s reactions is this strategy of denial. This determination to downplay, to deny, to act as if nothing had happened. As if a photo, a dinner, a party could be wiped away with a wave of the hand. As if their presence at Epstein’s table were a mere detail. An incident. An anecdote. But no. That dinner is a symbol. A symbol of their cowardice. A symbol of their complicity. A symbol of their silence. And today, they want us to believe that they didn’t know. That they saw nothing. That they heard nothing. But we’re not fooled. Because when you’re Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, when you have access to all the information in the world, when you have teams of advisors, lawyers, and communications experts, you can’t ignore it. You can’t not know. You can’t not see. So yes, they screwed up. Yes, they failed. Yes, they betrayed. Not just Epstein’s victims. But all of us. Because they were supposed to be different. They were supposed to be better. They were supposed to embody progress, innovation, and ethics. And today, they’re just two more men, caught in a monster’s web. Two more men who chose to remain silent. Two more men who chose to smile. Two more men who chose to raise their glasses.

Their Struggle, Our Silence

Amid the media frenzy, the public relations games, and the damage-control strategies, there are names we forget—those of the hundreds of young girls, some of them minors, whom Jeffrey Epstein abused, exploited, and shattered. Women, some of whom dared to speak out, confront their tormentors, and demand justice. And who, even today, see their hopes betrayed by men like Musk and Zuckerberg. Men who, by remaining at this table, smiling, and playing along, have chosen to turn their backs on their suffering. Who, by closing their eyes, have chosen to abandon them.

Yet they are at the heart of this matter. Because it is for them that the truth must come to light. Because it is for them that the accomplices must be held accountable for their actions. Because it is for them that men like Epstein, Musk, Zuckerberg, and so many others must finally understand that their choices have consequences. Consequences in the form of shattered lives, trauma, and enforced silence. And when we see how easily Musk and Zuckerberg downplay their presence at that dinner, when we see how casually they feign amnesia, we ask ourselves: where is justice? Where is redress? Where, quite simply, is dignity?

Declassified documents show that these dinners were traps. Traps where Epstein filmed, photographed, and recorded. Traps where he gathered evidence of complicity, silence, and participation. Evidence he could then use to exert pressure, to secure favors, to protect himself. And today, as the victims demand justice, as the questions pile up, as the pressure mounts, Musk and Zuckerberg prefer to deny it. To downplay it. To divert attention. As if, deep down, they knew they’d screwed up. As if, deep down, they knew they had no excuse. As if, deep down, they knew that their presence at this table makes them accomplices. Not accomplices to Epstein’s crimes. But accomplices to his system. Accomplices to his impunity. Accomplices to his silence.

I’m thinking of them tonight. Of those women who had to face hell, then contempt, then indifference. They believed in justice. They believed that, perhaps, one day, the powerful would pay for what they did—or for what they allowed to happen. But no. Today, they’re being offered a string of denials, downplays, and PR strategies. As if that were enough. As if that could erase years of suffering. The truth is that Musk and Zuckerberg are not victims. They are accomplices. Accomplices through their silence. Accomplices through their presence. Accomplices through their cowardice. And today, as this photo goes viral around the world, as questions pile up, as the pressure mounts, they prefer to deny. To downplay it. To divert attention. As if, deep down, they knew they’d screwed up. As if, deep down, they knew they had no excuse. As if, deep down, they knew that their presence at that table makes them accomplices. Not accomplices to Epstein’s crimes. But accomplices to his system. Accomplices to his impunity. Accomplices to his silence.

Three Ways to Break the Deadlock

The publication of this photo cannot go unaddressed. Three measures are essential. First, an independent investigation into the ties between Epstein and the Silicon Valley elite. Not an internal investigation, not a task entrusted to those close to power, but a genuine commission, with broad powers, complete transparency, and a clear mandate: to shed full light on the dinners, parties, and transactions between Epstein and tech billionaires. Second, unwavering support for the victims. Not just words, not just press releases, but concrete actions. Legal, psychological, and financial assistance. Because if the justice system truly wants to turn the page, it must do so for them—not just to save face.

Finally, there’s us. The citizens. The users. The consumers. Our role is not to look the other way, to settle for denials, or to believe that everything is settled just because Musk and Zuckerberg are downplaying the situation. Our role is to demand. To demand that the truth come to light. To demand that the accomplices be held accountable for their actions. To demand that institutions change. Because if we don’t do it, who will? If we let this slide, what will we accept tomorrow?

The declassified documents are a bombshell. A bombshell that is now exploding in broad daylight. A bombshell that reveals the flaws in our elites, the complacency of our institutions, and the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it’s also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say.

I don’t know what the investigations will reveal. Perhaps Musk and Zuckerberg will come out of this unscathed. Perhaps, by tomorrow, all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory. Perhaps, once again, the powerful will have won. But one thing is certain: this photo has made a difference. It has shown that even geniuses, even visionaries, even men who have changed the world, can fall. It has shown that, when the truth comes out, nothing is the same as before. So yes, let’s keep asking questions. Let’s keep demanding answers. Let’s keep fighting to ensure that the victims are heard. Because that is what democracy is. Not silence. Not resignation. Not forgetting. But the struggle, every day, to ensure that justice prevails. And today, in the face of this photo, in the face of this dinner, in the face of all this silence, that struggle has never been more necessary.

The Choice We Have Left

The Epstein-Musk-Zuckerberg dinner affair is much more than a scandal. It is a revelation. A revelation of the flaws in our system, of the complacency of our elites, of the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it is also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say.

To achieve this, we need courage. We must break with old habits. We must be willing to lose battles in order to win the war for trust. And above all, we must understand one thing: in a democracy, legitimacy cannot be decreed. It must be earned. Every day. Every decision. Every action.

So yes, this photo is a bombshell. A bombshell that, today, is exploding in broad daylight. A bombshell that reveals the flaws in our elites, the complacency of our institutions, and the impunity of those who believe themselves untouchable. But it is also an opportunity. An opportunity to show that, this time, things will change. That victims will no longer be sacrificed on the altar of careers. That the powerful will no longer be able to hide behind their naivety. That the truth, at last, will have the final say. Even when it hurts. Even when it shakes our certainties. Even when it forces us to choose between power and ethics. Because it is in moments like these that the future of a society is decided. And because, today more than ever, we cannot afford to make a mistake.

I don’t know what the future holds. Maybe Musk and Zuckerberg will come out of this unscathed. Maybe, tomorrow, all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory. Perhaps, once again, the powerful will have won. But one thing is certain: this photo changed everything. It showed that even geniuses, even visionaries, even men who have changed the world, can fall. It showed that when the truth comes out, nothing is ever the same again. So yes, let’s keep asking questions. Let’s keep demanding answers. Let’s keep fighting to ensure the victims are heard. Because that is what democracy is. Not silence. Not resignation. Not forgetting. But the struggle, every day, for justice to prevail. And today, in the face of this photo, in the face of this dinner, in the face of all this silence, that struggle has never been more necessary.

Signed, Jacques Provost