Former US President Donald Trump has publicly declared his support for the release of further documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. This marks a shift from his previously reported opposition to the measure.
A Surprising Shift in Stance
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump explicitly encouraged his party to back the move. "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide," he wrote. He dismissed the ongoing scandal surrounding his former associate as a "Democrat hoax."
This endorsement comes ahead of an anticipated vote in the House of Representatives this week. The push for transparency has, however, exposed a division within the typically unified Republican party, with some critics suggesting Trump's earlier reluctance was an attempt to block the release of potentially damaging information.
Internal Republican Concerns and a New Investigation
The situation has prompted concern from figures on both sides of the political aisle. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie directly challenged Trump, questioning if the president was making a "last-ditch effort" to prevent the full Epstein files from becoming public.
This criticism followed an order from Trump on Friday for Attorney General Pam Bondi to examine Democrats with ties to Epstein. Massie, who is leading the bipartisan effort for disclosure alongside Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, voiced his apprehensions about this new investigation on ABC's This Week, suggesting it could be a "smokescreen" to delay the document release.
Further complicating matters for Trump, high-profile Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has also demanded the full disclosure of all Epstein documents, creating a visible rift with the former president.
Trump's Focus on the Economy
Amid the furore, Trump insisted that his primary concern remains the nation's economic health. In his social media post, he stated, "The House Oversight Committee can have whatever they are legally entitled to, I DON'T CARE! All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT, which is the Economy, 'Affordability'." This statement underscores the political tension between addressing the explosive Epstein case and focusing on what Trump sees as core electoral issues.
