Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, says he’s “a little bit suspicious” of President Donald Trump after the president abruptly flipped his position and voiced support for releasing government files tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
The fight over the Epstein records has become a fresh fault line inside the GOP, while also reviving public pressure for transparency around the disgraced financier’s connections to influential people. Epstein died in a New York City jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, but the case continues to fuel political and public scrutiny. Trump’s sudden endorsement of releasing the files—after previously resisting it—has left some lawmakers wary, even those who want the documents made public.
On Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social urging House Republicans to back release of the files. In the post, he argued Democrats were using Epstein as a political distraction and insisted Republicans had “nothing to hide.” He also said the Department of Justice has already released thousands of pages and repeated claims that prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, had ties to Epstein. Trump added that the House Oversight Committee could access whatever it’s legally entitled to.
Trump has for weeks described the push as a “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,” saying Democrats are weaponizing it and warning Republicans not to fall into what he calls a trap. But on Monday, speaking from the Oval Office, he said he would support a House vote on releasing the records and would sign the measure if it reached his desk.
Massie, one of the leading Republicans pressing for disclosure, reacted to the reversal in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. He said the White House could have supported the effort months ago but instead tried to block it. While he welcomed Trump’s backing, Massie said the last-minute shift raises doubts about motive and follow-through. He also warned that opponents might try to dilute or stall the bill in the Senate.
Massie expects a direct vote on the language he introduced with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California. He predicted the bill would pass overwhelmingly, possibly with enough support to override a veto if needed.
Khanna echoed that view, saying Trump’s switch reflects political reality. He claimed their coalition was nearing roughly 100 Republican supporters prepared to defy Trump, and suggested that pressure campaign from the White House—including calls from officials and threats to withdraw endorsements—failed to stop momentum. Khanna added that lawmakers planned to meet with Epstein accusers on Tuesday and called the case one of the most appalling scandals in modern U.S. history.
In public statements, Khanna also warned that any attempt to amend or soften the bill in the Senate would amount to betraying survivors. Trump, meanwhile, used Truth Social to lash out at Republicans who supported the push, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, accusing them of disloyalty. Greene responded that releasing the Epstein files should never have been controversial, arguing that protecting powerful people is not a “hoax,” and said she stands with the victims.
Political scientist Robert Y. Shapiro told Newsweek that Trump’s reversal could reflect two possibilities: either the most damaging material is already public, or Trump can endorse disclosure while knowing key records may remain sealed due to ongoing investigations and court fights—delaying meaningful release.
The House is set to vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Tuesday. If it passes, the bill will move to the Senate, where its path forward remains uncertain.
