Seduced by the Louis XIV Treatment

What JD Vance and his entourage in Milan teach us about Epstein’s magnetism

Charts and numbers are my comfort zone, and even my political writing is usually analytical in style. But today I’ll take a break and write something looser and more self-indulgent: Some meditations inspired by JD Vance’s visit to the Olympics in Milan.

There are many stories floating around about Vance’s visit, some of which I can’t confirm from credible sources. But the Daily Mail reports that he and his entourage arrived “on multiple aircraft carrying staff, security personnel, food supplies and vehicles” and that “His ground convoy, made up of dozens of Chevy Suburbans, struggled through Milan’s narrow streets.” Like many others who’ve been there, my first reaction was “He brought food to Milan?” (No grazie, dammi il risotto allo zafferano.)

My second reaction was to ask why he would bring such a massive presence to a city like Milan, snarling traffic on its ancient streets. His enormous fleet of SUVs caused so much congestion that US figure skater Alysa Liu almost missed her first event.

The answer is that JD Vance is being swaddled in a golden blanket of privilege and luxury. After all, perks like these are standard fare for Trump cabinet members. For example, in 2025 the DHS purchased two private jets for use by Kristi Noem, as she lives rent free in a waterfront home that is normally reserved for the Coast Guard Admiral. Kash Patel flew on an official FBI jet to see his girlfriend perform. And Trump received a little gift from the Qataris – a private jet that he intends to have retrofitted at government expense and then keep once he leaves office. Oh, and he’s larded the White House with gold and is trying to build a ballroom that rivals Versailles in scale, though not taste.

I’m not a stranger to the seductions of privilege. True story: I was once a keynote speaker at a fancy-schmancy conference in São Paulo, Brazil. (The Swedish thingie opens some doors.) My flight from New York was very badly delayed, and the conference organizers were worried about the city’s notorious traffic. So I was met at the airport and given a ride in a helicopter that landed on the hotel’s roof.

When the conference was over, I was provided with a car and driver to take me back to the airport. And just for a moment, I found myself thinking, “What? I have to take a car?”

So I know that it’s extremely easy to become addicted to privilege and luxury. And Trump has surrounded himself with privilege addicts, knowing well that such people will be unwilling to sacrifice their perks for things as paltry as principles and basic decency.

Which brings me to the Epstein scandal.

Obviously the most important aspect of that scandal is the lurid elite corruption revealed by what we already know (and what is still being covered up?). The backlash against Me Too and cancel culture takes on new meaning now that we know that some leading figures in that backlash were having sex with underage girls.

But the corruption we’re learning about wasn’t just deep. It was also broad: A remarkable number of people were involved with Epstein years after his 2008 conviction as a sex abuser, including, I regret to say, quite a few academics. I believe (and hope) that only a small minority of the hundreds and hundreds in Epstein’s extended circle received sexual favors. A larger number of people were probably receiving financial favors, but most weren’t. And as someone who has been on the speaking circuit and knows academics in the consulting game, I can tell you that the sums of money we’re hearing about are small potatoes.

So what was the secret of Epstein’s influence? I’m speculating here, but I believe that a lot of his reach came from his skill at seducing people by providing them with a sense of exclusivity and privilege. To be associated with Epstein meant receiving invitations to participate in fancy dinners or to stay at one of his many luxurious residences in all the best places, including his private island. If you were chums with Jeffrey Epstein, you felt that you were a member of a glittering set of insiders. And that was enough to make you look away when the young woman pouring your drink looked just a little bit too much like your teenage daughter.

So what does all this say about politics and policy? It says to beware — beware in particular of a president whose lifestyle is saturated in dictator chic and who invites his officials to share. Because just as those in Epstein’s circle looked away when the “help” looked a little too young and nubile, Trump’s cabinet members look away when ICE is gunning down and terrorizing people in the streets.

And with that, it’s time to jet off to a super-fancy event reheat some leftovers for dinner.

MUSICAL CODA