House Speaker Mike Johnson claimed on Friday that President Donald Trump served as an FBI informant for decades, including efforts to dismantle Jeffrey Epstein’s illicit activities, directly contradicting Trump’s dismissal of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax.” Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Johnson defended Trump amid mounting pressure to release all files related to Epstein’s federal investigation, as survivors of the disgraced financier’s sexual abuse demand transparency.
Johnson asserted, “Trump is not saying what Epstein did is a hoax—it’s a terrible, unspeakable evil. When he heard rumors about Epstein, he kicked him out of Mar-a-Lago and acted as an FBI informant to take this down.” He added that Trump, deeply sympathetic to Epstein’s victims, discussed the issue with him as recently as Thursday. The White House has yet to respond to these claims, which have sparked intense debate given Trump’s well-documented association with Epstein in the 1980s and 1990s.
The controversy intensified as Trump, speaking to reporters, labeled calls for full disclosure a “Democrat hoax” meant to distract from his administration’s successes. “They’re trying to get people to talk about something irrelevant,” Trump said, claiming thousands of documents have already been released. However, Epstein survivors, led by figures like Lisa Phillips, are pushing for Congress to compel the Department of Justice to unseal all records, warning they may compile their own list of alleged abusers if the government fails to act.
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On Capitol Hill, efforts to uncover Epstein’s network are advancing on two fronts. Johnson touted the House Oversight Committee’s probe, promising it will “uncover things never seen before,” though critics doubt it will reveal significant new information. Meanwhile, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are spearheading a bipartisan bill to force the release of all Epstein files, with Massie’s discharge petition nearing the 218 signatures needed for a House floor vote. Only four Republicans—Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert, and Nancy Mace—have signed on, amid warnings from Johnson and the White House that supporting the petition could be seen as hostile to the administration.
Massie, undeterred, posted on X, “Survivors are compiling their own Epstein list, but they risk being sued into homelessness. @RepMTG and I are willing to name names on the House floor under Constitutional immunity.” The legal risks for survivors highlight the urgency of official disclosure, as the debate over transparency continues to fracture political alliances and fuel public scrutiny of Epstein’s legacy and Trump’s past ties.
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