US President Donald Trump may be attempting to divert attention from his alleged ties to late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by ordering a fresh investigation into Democrats with connections to him. However, some Republicans are sounding the alarm that this could be nothing more than a "smokescreen" to prevent the full files from becoming public.
Congressman Thomas Massie, who is leading the bipartisan push for transparency on the Epstein case, believes Trump's latest move may be an attempt to muddy the waters and keep the truth hidden. Massie pointed out that despite releasing emails showing Trump was aware of Epstein's conduct, he is now claiming that there's a hoax and launching new investigations.
Massie thinks that if there are ongoing investigations in certain areas, it would prevent documents from being released, suggesting that Trump might be trying to protect his friends and donors. He urged his Republican colleagues to rethink their position and warned them that by keeping the files secret, they would be voting to "protect pedophiles" and ultimately betraying Trump's endorsement.
Massie also hinted that more than 100 House Republicans may support releasing the Epstein documents when the measure reaches the House floor for a vote this week. On the other hand, Senator John Barrasso declined to commit to holding a vote even if the bill passes in the House, casting doubt on its prospects.
The efforts by Trump and his allies have sparked concerns among Democrats, with Congressman Ro Khanna saying that the push is "not about Donald Trump" but rather about justice for the survivors of Epstein's alleged sex-trafficking ring. Khanna also encouraged Trump to meet with the victims who have survived Epstein's abuse and spoken out publicly.
The Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, dismissed allegations that Trump had ties to Epstein's abuse as "their entire game plan" being taken away. However, it remains unclear whether the Senate will follow suit in supporting a vote on releasing the Epstein documents.
Congressman Thomas Massie, who is leading the bipartisan push for transparency on the Epstein case, believes Trump's latest move may be an attempt to muddy the waters and keep the truth hidden. Massie pointed out that despite releasing emails showing Trump was aware of Epstein's conduct, he is now claiming that there's a hoax and launching new investigations.
Massie thinks that if there are ongoing investigations in certain areas, it would prevent documents from being released, suggesting that Trump might be trying to protect his friends and donors. He urged his Republican colleagues to rethink their position and warned them that by keeping the files secret, they would be voting to "protect pedophiles" and ultimately betraying Trump's endorsement.
Massie also hinted that more than 100 House Republicans may support releasing the Epstein documents when the measure reaches the House floor for a vote this week. On the other hand, Senator John Barrasso declined to commit to holding a vote even if the bill passes in the House, casting doubt on its prospects.
The efforts by Trump and his allies have sparked concerns among Democrats, with Congressman Ro Khanna saying that the push is "not about Donald Trump" but rather about justice for the survivors of Epstein's alleged sex-trafficking ring. Khanna also encouraged Trump to meet with the victims who have survived Epstein's abuse and spoken out publicly.
The Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, dismissed allegations that Trump had ties to Epstein's abuse as "their entire game plan" being taken away. However, it remains unclear whether the Senate will follow suit in supporting a vote on releasing the Epstein documents.