Republican U. S. Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky said he is a “little bit suspicious” of President Donald Trump after his reversal in stance on releasing files connected to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Why It Matters The debate surrounding the release of Epstein investigation files has deepened divisions within the Republican Party and heightened public scrutiny over ties between the disgraced financier Epstein-who died at age 66 in a New York City jail cell in 2019-and powerful figures. Trump’s abrupt decision to support the files’ release, after previously opposing it, has raised suspicions among lawmakers-including Massie, one of the bill’s key champions. The outcome could significantly affect public trust in government transparency and the political fortunes of those involved. What To Know In a post to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump said in part, “As I said ‘” The president went on to say that the Department of Justice has released thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein and reiterated the investigation into relationships between the sex offender and prominent Democrats like former President Bill Clinton. Trump added, “the House Oversight Committee can have whatever they are legally entitled to, I DON’T CARE! Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory,” the president later added. “Some ‘members’ of the Republican Party are being ‘used,’ and we can’t let that happen. Let’s start talking about the Republican Party’s Record Setting Achievements, and not fall into the Epstein ‘TRAP,’ which is actually a curse on the Democrats, not us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Trump has labeled these efforts a “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,” previously claiming Democrats are using the issue to distract from their own performance and that “only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap.” While speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Monday, the president then said he’d back a vote on releasing the records and sign the bill if it got to his desk. While speaking with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Monday, Massie was asked his thoughts about Trump’s reversal on the issue. “Well, he got tired of us winning,” Massie responded. “He decided to join us. Look, they could have done this four months ago, and instead they fought us every bit of the way. Now they want to be on our side, we’ll accept their support, but we’re, you know, a little bit suspicious of this sudden turn of events.” Massie continued, “So, we’ll keep an eye on things. We’re worried that maybe they’ll try to muck it up in the Senate. But I do think we’re going to get a straight up or down vote tomorrow on the language that [Democratic U. S. Representative] Ro Khanna and I introduced. And I think it’s going to be a very big vote, I think we’ll get at least a veto-proof majority.” When asked the same question by Cooper, Khanna, of California said, “He [Trump] can do math. Thomas Massie did a great job, we were working all weekend and had almost 100 Republicans who were going to vote for a bill in defiance of Donald Trump,” Khanna continued in part. “This is Donald Trump calling in members to the Situation Room to try to get them off the petition. Having members of the Cabinet try to get them off the petition. Threatening to un-endorse members as he did Thomas Massie and [U. S. Congresswoman] Marjorie Taylor Greene to get them off the petition.” Khanna added that lawmakers are scheduled to meet with Epstein accusers on Tuesday. “This is one of the most horrific, disgusting scandals in American history,” he said. What People Are Saying Khanna, of California, on X Monday: “The President has said he will sign the Epstein Files Transparency Act that I introduced & @RepThomasMassie led the discharge petition. The Swamp is trying to get it amended in the Senate. Anyone who tried to amend a bill POTUS says he will sign is betraying the survivors.” Trump, on Truth Social over the weekend: “Lightweight Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Brown (Green grass turns Brown when it begins to ROT!), betrayed the entire Republican Party when she turned Left, performed poorly on the pathetic View, and became the RINO that we all know she always was. Just another Fake politician, no different than Rand Paul Jr. (Thomas Massie), who got caught being a full fledged Republican In Name Only (RINO)! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Greene, a Georgia Republican, on X Monday night: “Tomorrow Congress will finally vote to release the Epstein files. This should have never been a fight. Raping teenage girls, trafficking victims, and protecting powerful people is not a hoax. I unapologetically and proudly stand with these women.” Columbia University professor Robert Y. Shapiro, to Newsweek on Monday night when asked about Trump’s reversal: “I think there are two possibilities. One is that we have already heard about the worst that is in the files and he has nothing further to lose. This is possible since the Biden administration had the chance to release them and did not. Or, second, he can support releasing them but because they are part of other active Justice Department cases, not all of them will be released, including the most incriminating ones. This will get bogged down in court and nothing significant would be released for a long time, if at all.” What Happens Next The House plans to vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Tuesday. Should the bill pass, it will advance to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain.
https://www.newsweek.com/thomas-massie-a-little-suspicious-of-trump-reversal-on-epstein-files-11063067
Thomas Massie a Little ‘Suspicious’ of Trump Reversal on Epstein Files
