Top House Republican Defies Trump on Epstein Files, Calls for Transparency

By Staff, Agencies

House Speaker Mike Johnson has broken ranks with President Donald Trump by publicly supporting the release of documents related to the late financier and convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein—a move that comes amid growing tensions within Trump’s base over the issue.

“I'm for transparency,” Johnson said during an interview Tuesday with conservative podcast host Benny Johnson. “It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it.”

The Speaker, typically a staunch Trump ally, also called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to clarify her conflicting remarks about the alleged Epstein “client list.” Bondi, a former Florida attorney general and prominent Trump supporter, recently denied the list’s existence—contradicting her earlier claim that the files were sitting on her desk. The inconsistency has sparked backlash and confusion among Trump’s “Make America Great Again” supporters.

“I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there,” Johnson added, pressing Bondi to “come forward and explain”.

However, despite his comments in favor of transparency, Johnson joined House Republicans last week in voting 211–210 to block a Democratic motion that would have forced a vote on a resolution by Representative Ro Khanna. The measure would have required the Department of Justice to release all Epstein-related documents within 30 days.

Democrats quickly seized on the internal Republican split. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accused the GOP of protecting powerful interests: “If you’re not hiding anything, prove that to the American people,” he said at a Monday news conference.

Trump, meanwhile, came to Bondi’s defense. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said she had “handled that very well” and insisted her credibility remained intact. “She’s really done a very good job, and I think that when you look at that, you’ll understand it,” Trump stated.

The Justice Department is also under renewed scrutiny over Epstein’s death. A recent analysis by Wired magazine of surveillance footage metadata from the night before Epstein’s death revealed the supposedly “raw” video had been edited using Adobe Premiere Pro, with at least two different source files—raising further doubts about the integrity of the official account.

As calls for transparency grow louder, the controversy surrounding Epstein’s connections and death continues to cast a long shadow over both parties in Washington.