President Trump’s team warned House Republicans that pressing for more Jeffrey Epstein files would be seen as an act of war against the administration today.
Representative Thomas Massie leads a petition to compel a House vote requiring the Justice Department to publish complete unredacted Epstein materials within thirty calendar days.
A senior White House official said in a statement assisting Massie and liberal Democrats would be viewed as a hostile act toward the administration’s efforts.
Massie secured signatures from House Republicans Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, leaving him just two shy of the required two hundred eighteen.
He said a major pressure campaign from the White House and the Speaker aims to block his effort, but he remains confident in gaining support.
The Oversight Committee released thirty three thousand pages Tuesday night, but critics noted ninety seven percent of those documents were already in the public domain.
Ranking Member Robert Garcia slammed the GOP release as lackluster, saying the redundant documents failed to provide new insight into Epstein’s activities or potential connections.
Victims advocates have called on lawmakers to approve full unredacted access to all Epstein related files, claiming survivors deserve closure and scrutiny of any wrongdoing.
Legal experts note discharge petitions rarely succeed, but this effort shows deep congressional frustration over secrecy and the limits of executive branch presidential total control.
If Massie gains the necessary signatures, the House will vote on ordering the Justice Department to publish the entire cache of Epstein files without redactions.
The outcome could reset transparency standards and test the balance between congressional oversight and presidential privilege in managing future critical sensitive government and historical records.
