In the current polarized U.S. political climate, it seems like one thing can bring together Democrats and Republicans: the Jeffrey Epstein case. Unfortunately for President Donald Trump, this newfound unity is causing some strain for his administration.
The scandal has gone so far that Trump exploded about it on social media Wednesday after Democratic lawmakers accused Trump of “publicly disparaging the significance of the ‘Epstein files.’”
In a Wednesday Truth Social post, he even criticized his own supporters regarding their reactions to the Epstein case. “My PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bullshit,’ hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years,” said Trump. “I have had more success in 6 months than perhaps any President in our Country’s history, and all these people want to talk about, with strong prodding by the Fake News and the success starved Dems, is the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”
This came after Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) joined forces Tuesday to introduce the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA) that would force the House of Representatives to vote on the complete release of the government’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender who allegedly died by suicide in his prison cell six years ago. Many believe that his death wasn’t self-inflicted and that it is part of a conspiracy.
“We all deserve to know what’s in the Epstein files, who’s implicated, and how deep this corruption goes,” said Massie, who recently came into conflict with Trump over the government spending bill. “Americans were promised justice and transparency. We’re introducing a discharge petition to force a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on releasing the complete files. If your Representative won’t sign the discharge petition, ask why.”
A Tuesday press release from Massie said that, if EFTA is not considered by the House within seven legislative days, a discharge petition – described as a “procedural tool for bypassing House leadership” – will be circulated. It requires 218 signatures and would trigger a vote on the EFTA.
According to Axios, Republicans rejected a Tuesday Democratic procedural maneuver to release Epstein-related documents.
In addition to Khanna, other Democratic members of the House also sent a letter to Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan “urging him to investigate the Trump Administration’s recent handling” of the files, per a Tuesday press release from the House Committee on the Judiciary. It said that Judiciary Republicans have not invited any officials from the Trump Administration to testify before the Judiciary Committee “on any matter, including this one.”
House Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) even sang about the release of the Epstein files. Republicans, even some of Trump’s MAGA base, have also been calling for transparency regarding the Epstein files.
Elon Musk, a former ally of Trump who recently had a falling out with the president, claimed during their public break-up that Trump is in the “Epstein files” and said “that is the real reason they have not been made public.” He previously posted on social media about the rumored existence of an Epstein “client list.”
Audacy noted last week that conservative media personality Tucker Carlson said: “The current DOJ under Pam Bondi is covering up crimes. Very serious crimes, by their own description,” in a recent interview with Saagar Enjeti, host of “Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar” and former Daily Caller White House correspondent. Carlson is typically pro-Trump and some reports even hinted that Trump considered him as a running mate.
His comments came after the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation released a memorandum regarding the case that said an “exhaustive review of investigative holdings,” had been conducted. It refuted the existence of a “client list” and said its review confirmed that Epstein died by suicide.
“Much of the material is subject to court-ordered sealing,” said the memo. “Only a fraction of this material would have been aired publicly had Epstein gone to trial, as the seal served only to protect victims and did not expose any additional third-parties to allegations of illegal wrongdoing.”
Bondi commented on the Epstein case last week during a cabinet meeting and said: “To the tens of thousands of videos, they turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein. Child porn is what they were. Never going to be released. Never going to see the light of day.”
During an interview this week with podcaster Benny Johnson, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also said he believes there needs to be more transparency around the Epstein case.
“We should put everything out there and let the people decide,” he said. He also added that Bondi “needs to come forward and explain that to everybody,” regarding her decision not to release certain parts of the files.
However, the House Speaker was careful not to criticize Trump.
“We need the DOJ focusing on the major priorities, so let’s get this thing resolved,” he said. Those words seemed in line with comments Trump made to reporters Tuesday.
“I don’t understand why they would be so interested,” the president said. “He’s dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life. I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is. I really don’t, and the credible information has been given.”
Trump went on to say that: “It's pretty boring stuff. It’s sordid, but it’s boring. And I don’t understand why it keeps going. I think really only pretty bad people, including fake news, want to keep something like that going, but credible information. Let them give it. Anything that’s credible, I would say let them have it.”
While Axios’ Marc Caputo reported that the Trump administration is considering at least three ways to mitigate the backlash over the issue, the president seemed content to part ways with supporters who keep pushing for more Epstein information.
“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!” he said in his Truth Social post.