President Donald Trump stunned many in his own party Sunday, urging House Republicans to support the release of files in the Jeffrey Epstein case—a sharp reversal from his earlier opposition.
“We have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party,” Trump wrote on social media after arriving at Joint Base Andrews following a weekend in Florida.
According to The Associated Press, the president’s statement comes amid a fierce internal battle within the GOP over the measure. Trump has long relied on the loyalty of lawmakers such as Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, but tensions have grown as the vote approached.
Trump’s shift signals that proponents of the legislation likely have enough support to pass it in the House, though its fate in the Senate remains uncertain.
This reversal is unusual for Trump, who has generally maintained tight control over Republican ranks during his return to office and throughout his second term. Lawmakers backing the bill have predicted strong momentum in the House this week, with what they describe as a “deluge of Republicans” willing to buck party leadership.
In previous efforts to block the release, Trump reportedly reached out to Republican lawmakers who supported the bill, including Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, who met last week with administration officials in the White House Situation Room.
The legislation would compel the Justice Department to release all communications and files related to Epstein, as well as information on the investigation into his death while in federal custody. Sensitive details about victims or ongoing investigations could be redacted.
“There could be 100 or more” Republican votes, said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., adding he hopes for a “veto-proof majority on this legislation when it comes up for a vote.” Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., first introduced a discharge petition in July to force the House to vote—a rarely successful tool that bypasses leadership control.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had criticized the petition and even delayed House business earlier this year. Massie said the upcoming vote will mark a major setback for critics of the bill.
“I’m not tired of winning yet, but we are winning,” Massie said.
