Peter Attia’s Resignation is A Victory for Survivors, Sends Powerful Message to Formerly Untouchable Men
For Immediate Release: February 23, 2026
Contact: media@fwdshift.com
The longevity guru’s resignation is a testament to the collective power of survivors and advocates, and sends a clear message to Epstein enablers: Power, wealth and influence will no longer protect you.
UltraViolet, a leading national women-led gender-justice organization responsible for numerous impactful victories against sexual predators like Harvey Weinstein, R Kelly, and Bill O’Reilly, released the following statement after reports that longevity researcher and health influencer Peter Attia has stepped down from his role as a CBS News contributor following well-documented ties to serial child predator Jeffrey Epstein:
“Attia’s resignation from CBS serves as a testament to the immense power of survivors and advocates to hold rich, powerful people accountable,” said Elisa Batista, Campaign Director at Ultraviolet. “It reminds us that we, too, have the power to fight back against those who enabled or lent credibility and legitimacy to Epstein and his accomplices. They can no longer be shielded by their wealth, networks, or influence.”
Attia is among a cohort of powerful, influential men named in the Epstein files, with recent releases by the U.S. Justice Department revealing an intimate relationship with Epstein, which included in-person gatherings and trading favors, such as staying at one of Epstein’s luxury apartments. Communication between the two even veered into graphic and lewd references to women.
“Attia continuing at CBS would have undoubtedly tainted the network’s brand and run contrary to everything that good journalism should stand for: Basic moral decency and fearlessness in the face of the wealthy and powerful,” Batista said. “With this resignation, we send a powerful message to both survivors and formerly untouchable individuals who enabled Epstein’s abuse. To survivors: we’re right with you and will keep moving forward toward accountability. To Epstein enablers and accomplices: we will not let up until all survivors get the justice they deserve.”
Attia’s departure comes less than a month after being included in a cohort of 19 newly appointed on-air contributors, handpicked by CBS editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. News of Attia’s ties to Epstein quickly inspired backlash from within and outside the network, with staffers, contributors, and activists demanding his ouster.
UltraViolet has been a leading voice in the movement to hold abusers accountable and end gender-based violence, fighting alongside survivors and achieving victories against sexual predators like Harvey Weinstein, Bill O’Reilly, and Andrew Tate.
More than 1,000 survivors have come forward to expose Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse and the powerful network that enabled it—revealing a web of individuals and institutions that maintained relationships with him despite credible allegations. Epstein did not operate alone. His abuse was sustained by status, silence, and institutional protection. Through a coordinated series of petitions and accountability campaigns, UltraViolet is calling for transparency and institutional review regarding all prominent figures with documented ties to Epstein. The organization recently launched a series of petitions to hold accountable Larry Summers, who has since stepped down from his roles at Harvard University and OpenAI following massive public pressure, including from UltraViolet community members, as well as Epstein enablers Alan Dershowitz and Casey Wasserman.
UltraViolet says these efforts are part of a broader push to ensure that the reckoning sparked by survivors results in meaningful institutional accountability.
Follow our work on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
###
UltraViolet Education Fund is a women-led gender justice 501c3 organization, with an online community of hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. We combine organizing, technology, creative campaigning, and people power to win real-world changes for women and gender-expansive people.
Give for survivor justice taking flight!
While Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to change the subject, we refuse to let them off the hook for protecting predators. That’s why we're flying airplane banners to keep Trump’s ties to child sex abuser and trafficker Jeffrey Epstein in the news. Epstein’s more than 1,000 survivors deserve transparency and justice. Your gift today will keep the spotlight on Trump’s and Bondi’s deflections and center survivors in the public narrative!