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Independent journalist Michael Tracey called out former CNN host Jim Acosta, inviting him to meet outside a Washington, D.C. hotel for a fight early Sunday morning.

Acosta accused Tracey in social media posts of harassing Miami Herald journalist Julie K. Brown, an investigative reporter who played a key role in pushing the story of financier Jeffrey Epstein’s child sex trafficking ring into the national news. At one point, Tracey claimed Acosta “threatened to fight” him during the Substack afterparty for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“Still have no idea whatever went on with Trump tonight, just know Jim threw a fuckin’ hissing fit. Pussy! Jim, meet me in front of the Hampton Inn,” Tracey posted on X at 1:01 a.m. ET Sunday, adding in a follow-up post just six minutes later, “Jim, I’m literally waiting for you right now, you piece of shit.”

“We saw what you did at the Substack party. You were bullying  in a menacing way and would not let her walk away from you,” Acosta posted Sunday. “Your behavior was shameful and ugly. So yes, I stepped in as did several other people, including security, to escort Brown away from you.”

Journalist Tara Palmieri posted video of Tracey being met by security personnel at a Saturday event honoring Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Epstein’s who committed suicide in 2025.

“I went to Virginia Giuffre’s memorial today and who was there… , a man who has made defaming Giuffre a full time job. Here’s security trying to remove him,” Palmieri posted.

Prior to issuing the challenge to the fight, Tracey labeled Brown a “scumbag” and accused her of “lying about me, suggesting I was paid by Epstein co-conspirators, and fabricating quotes.” After Brown accused him of harassing her, he lit into her in a quote-post on X.

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“No one ‘harassed’ you. Liar,” Tracey said. “Enjoy the bogus Netflix series based on the ‘memoir’ you fabricated quotes for. Provably.”

Brown, Tracey, Acosta and Substack did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Tracey previous asserted that a “moral panic” had emerged from the aftermath of Epstein’s 2019 death in prison during a Feb. 12 appearance on Coleman Hughes’ podcast, comparing it to allegations President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia.

“Because there is this element inherent to the story of quote unquote pedophilia or at least perceived pedophilia, then when one’s mut motives get impugned, obviously are they’re going to be impugned in the most depraved way possible,” Tracey told Hughes. “Meaning I’m trying to cover up my own sexual lust for underage children or something to that effect.”

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