Some Conservatives In Congress Break With Trump On His Handling Of The Epstein Files

WASHINGTON — Some blimpish Republicans successful Congress are breaking pinch nan President Donald Trump's handling of nan lawsuit involving nan precocious financier and convicted activity offender Jeffrey Epstein, nan latest improvement successful a uncommon MAGA revolt against nan administration.

After nan Justice Department and FBI said it would not merchandise immoderate further accusation related to nan lawsuit and Trump sought to downplay it, his friends connected Capitol Hill kept up their calls for nan authorities to merchandise nan "Epstein files," which has consumed right-wing circles for years.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right Georgia Republican and staunch Trump ally, said she was willing successful a backstage viewing of nan Epstein files astatine nan Justice Department and wants each of them yet released to nan public.

“I’d for illustration to spot each nan accusation travel out,” said Greene, a personnel of nan House Oversight Committee.

Another conservative, Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., besides said he wants to spot much disclosure from nan authorities and focused his comments connected Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has travel nether occurrence aft nan Justice Department and FBI released a two-page memo stating they recovered nary grounds Epstein had kept an “incriminating ‘client list’” aliases grounds that would lead to further prosecution of 3rd parties.

“If nan lawyer wide has knowledge of group who committed activity crimes pinch nan minors, she should beryllium prosecuting them,” DesJarlais told NBC News.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Americans expect much accountability from Trump fixed Epstein’s heinous crimes and that others were involved.

“I deliberation it’s perfectly understandable that nan American group would for illustration to cognize who he trafficked those women to and why they weren’t prosecuted,” Kennedy said.

“I deliberation nan Justice Department is going to person to spell backmost to nan drafting committee successful answering those questions.”

But apical Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., are deferring to Trump connected nan rumor without critiquing his decision.

“It’s nan president’s decision,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas.

Asked if he has concerns astir really Trump’s squad has handled nan Epstein files, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, replied, “I spot nan president. I spot his team.”

Epstein, a able financier, died by termination successful his New York City jailhouse compartment successful 2019 arsenic he awaited proceedings for national activity trafficking charges. Last month, amid fallout betwixt Trump and billionaire Elon Musk complete nan GOP's monolithic home argumentation bill, Musk wrote connected his societal media level X that Trump, without immoderate evidence, “is successful nan Epstein files” and “That is nan existent logic they person not been made public.”

Musk later deleted nan post. And while Trump and Epstein knew each other, Trump has ne'er been implicated successful Epstein’s maltreatment of underage girls. The president besides has denied immoderate wrongdoing, saying successful a station past year, “I was ne'er connected Epstein’s Plane, aliases astatine his ‘stupid’ Island.” There has ne'er been immoderate grounds connecting Trump to Epstein’s criminal behavior.

Democrats person seized connected nan uncommon split successful nan Republican Party, echoing disapproval connected nan correct of Trump and his team’s handling of nan Epstein episode.

“In February of this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged nan beingness of Jeffrey Epstein’s customer list. In fact, she said that Jeffrey Epstein’s customer database is, ‘sitting connected my table correct now,’” Rep. Ted Lieu of California, a personnel of nan Democratic activity team, said astatine a news convention Tuesday morning.

“Where is that customer list? What is Attorney General Pam Bondi, hiding?" Lieu said. "She needs to merchandise nan Epstein files arsenic soon arsenic possible.”

Bondi later clarified that nan Epstein lawsuit record was sitting connected her desk, not a customer list.

On Monday night, Democrats offered an amendment successful nan House Rules Committee to require a level ballot connected releasing nan Epstein files. Republicans, who power nan Rules panel, voted it down 7-5.

Notably, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., a personnel of nan blimpish House Freedom Caucus, voted for nan Democratic amendment. And different HFC member, Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, didn’t vote.