• A bipartisan push to force disclosure of Jeffrey Epstein’s files threatens to fracture GOP unity as Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna prepare a rare procedural move demanding transparency, confronting Speaker Mike Johnson and testing Trump-era political loyalties.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — A bipartisan alliance is poised to rupture the House Republican conference over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, as Representatives Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D., Calif.) prepare to force a floor vote demanding the release of long-sealed federal files.

The unusual move—a discharge petition—would compel Attorney General Pam Bondi to disclose documents related to Epstein and his confidante Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days. It marks an extraordinary escalation in pressure on both the Justice Department and the Trump administration, which has vowed transparency but has so far been reticent to fully open the archives.

“It’s not a pretty please, would you release the files. It’s the force of law,” Rep. Massie said Sunday on ABC’s This Week, explaining the mechanics of the discharge petition, which requires 218 signatures—effectively bypassing House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.).

Trump, Epstein, and Mounting Legal Tensions

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President Donald Trump continues to face scrutiny over past ties to Epstein, despite having disavowed the financier years before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex crimes. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that a letter bearing Trump’s name appeared in Epstein’s 2003 birthday album—a claim Trump denies.

Trump has filed a defamation suit against the Journal, its publisher Dow Jones, parent company News Corp, and several executives. A Dow Jones spokeswoman responded defiantly:

“We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

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Trump has repeatedly claimed he cut ties with Epstein long before the financier’s 2019 arrest and subsequent death in jail—a death the Justice Department recently reaffirmed involved “no foul play.” Yet the drip of disclosures and unanswered questions has fueled grassroots frustration and distrust, particularly among voters aligned with Trump’s base.

Bondi, Blanche, and the Battle Over Files

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recently traveled to Tallahassee, where Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence, to conduct a two-day meeting. Details of their discussion remain classified, though DOJ officials say they plan to release relevant grand-jury transcripts “at the appropriate time.”

The House Oversight Committee, meanwhile, has subpoenaed Maxwell for in-person testimony. A 2021 conviction found her guilty of sex trafficking and other crimes tied to Epstein’s abuse of minors, many of whom were recruited while still in their teens. Maxwell, who has appealed her conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, has described Epstein as “manipulative” and “controlling.”

“This is not about scoring political points,” said Rep. Khanna. “This is about justice—for the public and for the victims.”

Massie echoed that sentiment on NBC’s Meet the Press, where he rebuffed Speaker Johnson’s criticism of the legislation.

Republican Infighting Over Transparency

Speaker Johnson has so far declined to advance the measure, instead adjourning the House until September and citing the need to allow the Trump administration room to manage the issue. But the discharge petition—if successful—could force Republicans to publicly choose between backing transparency or shielding powerful allies.

“Is the pain he’s talking about that somebody in our party will be embarrassed by those files?” Massie asked rhetorically. “Then that’s not a good excuse.”

Johnson, appearing on the same program, described the bill as “reckless,” alleging it fails to safeguard victims’ identities or prevent the release of illicit content. Massie and Khanna countered that their measure explicitly redacts victims’ names and prohibits the publication of child pornography—one of DOJ’s stated concerns.

“We’re not seeking spectacle—we’re seeking disclosure with dignity,” Khanna insisted.

A Political Fault Line

What began as a bipartisan call for openness has now become a political litmus test. As Massie warns, failure to release the files could cost Republicans their narrow majority in the House. Voters already disillusioned by Washington’s elite protectionism may see the Epstein matter as a final straw.

Trump has remained publicly silent on the Massie-Khanna effort. But the political stakes are growing. While his administration initially vowed full transparency, critics within his base now question whether those promises will be kept—or buried under institutional inertia.

Will the GOP side with transparency, or risk the wrath of voters seeking justice and truth?

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