Prominent anti-aging physician and media personality Dr. Peter Attia has resigned from his recently appointed position as a CBS News contributor following the disclosure of his email correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The communications, released by the US Department of Justice, revealed inappropriate exchanges containing crude remarks about women’s anatomy and personal expressions of missing Epstein’s company.
A spokesperson for Dr. Attia announced his immediate departure from the network, characterizing his contributor role as ‘newly established and had not yet meaningfully begun.’ The statement emphasized that Attia’s decision to ‘step back’ was intended to prevent becoming ‘a distraction from the important work being done at CBS.’
The health influencer has issued multiple apologies for the tone and content of his messages while vigorously denying any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities. In a comprehensive 1,000-word social media statement published days after the documents surfaced, Attia clarified that he had ‘never been on [Epstein’s] plane, never on his island, and never present at any sex parties.’
According to Attia’s account, his interactions with Epstein were limited to ‘seven or eight’ visits to the financier’s New York residence between 2014 and 2019, during which he claims to have witnessed no illegal activity or encountered any underage individuals. The physician maintained that his communications with Epstein were unrelated to ‘his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone.’
Attia was among nineteen new contributors appointed by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss in January, following the network’s acquisition by Paramount. Weiss, a former New York Times opinion writer known for her critiques of ‘cancel culture,’ was brought in to help reshape the network’s editorial direction under new ownership by David Ellison, son of Trump ally and technology billionaire Larry Ellison.
The revelation has sparked considerable backlash from portions of Attia’s audience, particularly concerning emails from 2016 containing inappropriate jokes about female anatomy and sexual acts. Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, had previously been convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor as part of a plea deal.