Peter Attia resigns from CBS News amid revelations about ties to Epstein | CBS
Controversial longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia resigned from his position as a CBS News correspondent after correspondence between Attia and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was made public.
Hollywood Reporter broke the news for the first time Attia’s departure.
Less than a month ago, Attia was announced as one of the following: 19 new participants in the network, as part of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss’ efforts to overhaul the news division. He joined the network just days before the release of more than 3 million files as part of the federal government’s investigation into Epstein.
The files included numerous examples of communications between Attia and Epstein; most of these dated from the mid-2010s, after Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges involving a minor in 2008. The messages indicate a friendly relationship between the two men; Epstein sometimes calls Attia for medical advice. In a rather vulgar speech from 2016, Attia implies that female genitalia are considered “low carb”.
After the file was announced, Attia wrote: Long apology on social mediaHe also shared it with his team and patients. He also resigned as chief scientific officer of David, a protein bar company, following the release of the Epstein files.
“I apologize and regret putting myself in a situation where emails, some of which were embarrassing, distasteful and indefensible, are now public,” Attia said. “I accept this fact and the humiliation that comes with it.”
In the same note, Attia clarified that he was “not involved in any criminal activity” and that his “interactions with Epstein had nothing to do with his sexual misconduct or exploitation of anyone.” He also stated that he never boarded Epstein’s plane or visited his island.
CBS News insiders were unhappy that CBS did not move more quickly to oust Attia. But last week, an administrator sent employees a list of new network contributors along with their contact points. Attia had no name.
According to reports, Attia’s resignation was announced in an email sent to employees in CBS News’ booking department on Monday.
A spokesperson for Attia said: “Dr. Attia’s role as a contributor had just been established and had not yet begun in a meaningful way. Therefore, he stepped back to ensure that his involvement did not detract from the important work being done at CBS. He wishes the network and its leadership well and has no further comment at this time.”
Attia is the host of the popular podcast The Peter Attia Drive and the author of the best-selling book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity.
