Brace yourselves -- the iconic Walter Cronkite, once hailed as America’s most trusted journalist, has emerged in newly released flight logs tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious private jet, as the Daily Mail reports.

These eye-opening documents, disclosed by the House Oversight Committee on Friday, place Cronkite alongside other prominent names like Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, and Richard Branson as passengers on Epstein’s plane, illuminating the sprawling network of the disgraced financier.

Flash back to Jan. 12, 2007, when Cronkite, at age 91, boarded a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He joined seven others, including Epstein, likely headed to one of Epstein’s private islands, Little St. James or Great St. James.

Epstein’s vast web of connections

No evidence suggests Cronkite engaged in any wrongdoing, but seeing such a respected figure linked to Epstein’s orbit is nothing short of stunning. His name on these logs, spanning flights from the late 1990s to 2019, fuels curiosity about who else might be hidden behind redactions.

Cronkite, who shaped public understanding of major 20th-century events as CBS Evening News anchor from 1962 to 1981, was known for unshakeable integrity.

This unexpected association with Epstein, a symbol of scandal, jars even the most cynical observer.

Having passed away in 2009, Cronkite isn’t here to clarify this connection, and no prior link to Epstein was ever documented. His estate might soon face pressure to scour personal records for answers.

Calls for transparency intensify

The logs also name figures such as former President Clinton and Donald Trump, who took at least seven trips on Epstein’s jet, sometimes with family.

Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett, a fierce advocate for openness, slams the ongoing redactions as a “cover-up.”

“It should all be made public,” Burchett told the Daily Mail in July. And why shouldn’t it be? Americans deserve the whole story, not carefully curated snippets.

Burchett also vouched for Trump, saying, “I think Trump is innocent. He’s on record saying Epstein was a dirtbag.” It’s a valid defense, though those flights still beg for context and explanation.

Acosta’s justification for plea deal questioned

Alongside the flight manifests, a transcript from the House Oversight Committee’s September interview with Alex Acosta, the ex-U.S. attorney who brokered Epstein’s 2008 plea deal, was released.

Acosta defended the light sentence—13 months in jail, sex offender status, and restitution -- citing weak evidence and inconsistent victim accounts.

“Many victims refused to testify. Many victims had changing stories,” Acosta explained to investigators. Fair enough, but doesn’t this “pragmatism” often seem to protect the elite from true reckoning?

Acosta added that Palm Beach state prosecutors considered a no-jail diversion deal, framing his agreement as tougher by comparison. He also denied claims of saying Epstein was tied to “intelligence” during his Labor Secretary vetting, despite earlier reports suggesting otherwise.

Bureaucratic barriers, lost evidence

Recent White House management of Epstein files has sparked friction among conservatives, with a DOJ/FBI memo stating no further review is needed. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Deputy Director Dan Bongino insist there’s nothing more to disclose, though Bondi previously hinted at a high-profile client list ready for release.

Burchett points the finger not at Bondi but at entrenched Washington bureaucrats, hinting that evidence might have been destroyed within the Justice Department. If that’s the case, it’s not just incompetence -- it’s a gut punch to public trust.

These flight logs, while not proof of guilt, remind us why skepticism of power persists. Transparency isn’t a partisan issue; it’s a principle. Until every name and detail is laid bare, the shadow of Epstein’s network will loom over us all.