Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has strongly criticized former President Donald Trump's longstanding resistance to releasing investigative files related to Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that it undermines the populist Republican movement he championed.
At a press conference on the Capitol steps, Greene stated, "This is turning into a battle that is tearing apart the 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) movement." She was flanked by several survivors of Epstein’s sex trafficking network, who emotionally recounted their experiences of abuse during their teenage years.
The House of Representatives is set to vote within hours on a bill requiring the Department of Justice to disclose Epstein-related documents. The legislation had previously faced opposition from Trump and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson until a majority of lawmakers signed a petition to force a floor vote.
Greene, a prominent MAGA supporter and longtime Trump ally, has been vocal on the issue. Trump has repeatedly claimed he severed ties with Epstein nearly two decades ago and was unaware of the financier’s activities. As recently as last week, he opposed Republican efforts to advance the petition for a House vote.
However, after the petition succeeded, Trump reversed course on Sunday, expressing support for the bill—though no documents have been released yet. On Monday, he dismissed the Epstein file debate as a "distraction" and redirected attention to Democratic figures linked to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton.
Conservative Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who has clashed with Trump multiple times, has been a leading advocate for document disclosure, suggesting Trump may be involved in a cover-up. "I think he’s protecting some friends and donors," Massie said.
Speaker Johnson has urged the Senate to amend the bill’s language, allowing the executive branch to redact certain portions of the Epstein files if necessary. The current bill only mandates the concealment of information that could identify victims. Supporters of the bill, including some survivors, argue that Johnson’s proposed revisions would only delay justice.
"I’ll vote to move this forward. I believe this bill could pass with near-unanimous support," Johnson said. A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not responded to requests for comment. Johnson noted he had discussed the matter with Thune, who shares his concerns and believes the Senate would "correct" certain provisions if the bill advances.
Even if the bill becomes law, Trump could still delay the release of critical documents. Massie pointed out that Trump recently directed the Justice Department to investigate Epstein’s potential ties to prominent Democrats—a move that could justify withholding files under the pretext of an ongoing probe.
The bill demands full disclosure of all records, including investigative reports, flight logs, travel documents, immunity agreements, internal DOJ communications, and files related to Epstein’s 2019 jailhouse death.
Last week, a congressional committee released roughly 20,000 pages of Epstein-related documents, including emails in which Epstein allegedly claimed Trump spent hours in a room with one victim. The government still holds over 10,000 pages of undisclosed files.
Comments