Over the weekend, President Donald Trump did a sudden about-face on his posture towards Jeffrey Epstein. After months of proclaiming the story old news, Trump decided to demand an investigation into certain Democrats and their ties to the disgraced late financier. Also, he announced that he would not oppose Republicans signing on to a House resolution to compel the release of the files, after essentially threatening Republicans who talked about voting for it. The dispute, in part, led to Trump’s break with longtime loyalist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
On Monday, per the Daily Mail, the president again addressed the Epstein issue.
“‘We have nothing to do with Epstein. The democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats. You look at Larry Summers. Bill Clinton. They went to his island all the time,” Trump said. In fact, one of the emails released last week had Epstein claiming that Clinton had never visited his island.
Republican representative blasts Trump’s Epstein investigation as a ‘smokescreen’ while survivors beg Congress to finally reveal the hidden files https://t.co/baqQaZnGYn
— Paula McEneaney (@paula_mceneaney) November 17, 2025
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“A House vote on releasing files could take place as early as Tuesday as lawmakers move quickly this week,” the Mail reported. “The bill would require the Justice Department to release all files and communications tied to Epstein, including materials related to the investigation into his death in federal custody.”
House passage would just be one step; the Senate would have to pass the bill, and Trump would have to sign it.
One Republican who has resisted Trump, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said Sunday that the investigation Trump demanded could be a “huge smokescreen.”
“If they have ongoing investigations in certain areas, those documents can’t be released,” Massie told ABC’s Jonathan Karl on “This Week.” “So, this might be a big smokescreen, these investigations, to open a bunch of them to, as a last-ditch effort to prevent the release of the Epstein files.”
Last week, Trump mocked Massie for his recent re-marriage, which came about a year-and-a-half after the passing of his first wife. Trump’s social media ultra-loyalist Laura Loomer went even further, openly questioning the manner in which Massie’s first wife died.
Massie says Trump’s Epstein investigation might be ‘a big smokescreen’ https://t.co/xApocQnUwu
— POLITICO (@politico) November 16, 2025
