Trump says whether he would sign Epstein files bill
In a recent statement from the White House, former President Donald Trump expressed his support for a bill that aims to mandate the release of all Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious financier and convicted sex offender. The bill, which is set for a House vote, has garnered attention as it seeks to shed light on Epstein’s extensive connections and the implications of his actions. Trump, while affirming his willingness to sign the bill if it reaches his desk, emphasized that the issue should not detract from the achievements of the Republican Party. He stated, “We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats,” framing the narrative around Epstein as a political issue rather than a bipartisan concern.
As the House prepares for the vote, GOP lawmakers are generally optimistic about supporting the bill, although some have voiced concerns regarding its wording and implications for privacy. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had initially opposed the legislation, now hopes for amendments in the Senate to protect innocent individuals who might be mentioned in the released documents. The bipartisan push for transparency is being led by Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are utilizing a discharge petition to bring the bill to the floor. Trump’s comments, made on social media and during a press briefing, highlighted his belief that if the Democrats had any incriminating evidence against him or the Republican Party, it would have been revealed before the last presidential election. He urged his party members to focus on their accomplishments instead of getting caught in what he termed the “Epstein TRAP,” which he suggested is more of a burden for Democrats.
The discussion surrounding Epstein’s files has reignited debates about accountability and transparency in political circles, especially given the high-profile nature of Epstein’s connections with various influential figures. As the House vote approaches, the outcome could have significant implications not only for the ongoing discourse around Epstein’s legacy but also for the broader political landscape as both parties navigate the fallout from his actions. Trump’s involvement in promoting the bill reflects his ongoing influence over the Republican Party and highlights the complexities of intertwining legal issues with political strategy. The situation remains fluid as lawmakers prepare to make their voices heard on this contentious issue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEs7nGJZ2rk
President
Donald Trump
said, “I’m all for it,” when asked by a reporter if he would sign a bill that would force the Justice Department to release all its files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump made the remark in the White House on Monday as the House of Representatives is preparing to vote on the bill Tuesday afternoon.
“We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats,” Trump said. “All I want is I want for people to recognize a great job that I’ve done on pricing, on affordability, because we brought prices way down, but they go way lower. On energy, on ending eight wars and another one coming pretty soon, I believe. We’ve done a great job, and I hate to see that deflect from the great job we’ve done. So I’m all for it.”
When asked again about signing the bill if it reaches his desk, Trump added, “Sure I would.”
HOUSE GOP BRACES FOR EPSTEIN FILES VOTE AS CONCERNS REMAIN DESPITE TRUMP’S GREEN LIGHT
“Let the Senate look at it
. Let anybody look at it. But don’t talk about it too much, because honestly… it’s really a Democrat problem,” Trump also said. “The Democrats were Epstein’s friends, all of them. And it’s a hoax. The whole thing is a hoax, and I don’t want to take it away from really the greatness of what the Republican Party has accomplished over the last period of time.”
GOP lawmakers who spoke with Fox News Digital Monday evening said they would vote for the bill and were optimistic their colleagues would as well — though many of them said they still had concerns about how it was written.
TRUMP CALLS ON HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO VOTE TO RELEASE EPSTEIN FILES: ‘WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’
It comes after House Speaker
Mike Johnson
, R-La., who had been against the bill but had been pushing parallel transparency efforts in Epstein’s case, said he hoped it would undergo material changes when it reached the Senate to give more protection for innocent people whose names may appear in the files against their wishes.
The legislation is coming to the House floor on Tuesday afternoon via a mechanism called a discharge petition led by Rep Ro. Khanna, D-Calif., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump urged
House Republicans
to vote in favor of releasing the documents.
Trump also argued that if the Democrats “had anything,” it would have surfaced prior to last year’s presidential election.
“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,” Trump said. “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!”
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
