James Fishback, the 31-year-old Miami CEO running for Florida Governor in the 2026 Republican primary, made the comment in a video clip shared on X on February 6, 2026. He said, "If you did what Epstein and his co-conspirators did... three words: hang 'em high."
The remark came during a discussion on justice for high-profile child traffickers. The clip was posted by the conservative account @notsourced and received over 51,000 views within hours.
Fishback's campaign focuses on America First policies, including border security, economic reforms, and strong crime-fighting measures. This statement fits his overall position on holding powerful offenders accountable in a justice system he sees as too weak. Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex trafficker who died in 2019, is frequently cited by many as an example of elite impunity.
Reactions online were split. Some cheered Fishback for finally saying what others are too afraid to admit: predators protected by the system deserve no mercy.
Others clung to the idea that public executions are a relic of the past, as if modern law has done anything to stop men like Epstein.
Fishback has not added any more details on the statement since the clip spread.