Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is once again defying the commands of President Donald Trump, putting forth legislation to force his administration to release more information about Jeffrey Epstein.
Much of Trump’s conservative base and allied media figures have been outraged since his administration announced last week there was no evidence that Epstein, a notorious child sex trafficker, kept a “client list” or died by means other than suicide in his jail cell in 2019.
Though this announcement came on the heels of many promises from administration figures that a client list and other bombshell information would be released, Trump has spent the past week baselessly claiming the so-called “Epstein files” are actually a “Democratic hoax” and demanding his party and the media move on from the “pretty boring stuff.”
Massie is among those not complying with Trump’s wishes, as he filed a discharge petition Tuesday in the House to force the administration to release more information about Epstein and individuals connected to his trafficking ring.
In an interview with Kentucky Public Radio, Massie said he is advancing the discharge petition because “the American people deserve to know what was in those files, and I think we've got to get as much justice for the victims as we can.”
“I think it's important that we keep our promises,” he said. “And this was a campaign promise that the president made, and it's a promise that his administration has made, his vice president has made, his son has made. And it's a promise that's not been kept.”
Massie also dismissed Trump’s labeling of the Epstein files as a “hoax,” saying he highly suspects there is information about collaborators in Epstein’s child trafficking ring that needs to be exposed.
“If it's a hoax, I would say (convicted collaborator Ghislaine) Maxwell needs to be pardoned,” Massie said. “And if it's a hoax, the vice president fell for it, Trump's own children fell for it, the deputy director of the FBI fell for it, the FBI director fell for it, and the AG fell for it. I suspect it's not a hoax.”
In a social media posts and statements to media this week, Trump has blasted “stupid” and “foolish” Republicans who have “bought into this 'bullshit,' hook, line, and sinker."
"Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore!" Trump wrote.
As for why Trump is fighting so hard against anyone now discussing Epstein, Massie expressed skepticism that the president was directly implicated in the files, but suggested there were others he wanted to protect.
“I don't particularly think that Trump is implicated in the Epstein files,” Massie said. “Maybe some of his friends are.”
Rumors have persisted for years about various public figures being clients of Epstein and subject to blackmail, despite scant public evidence. Such opinions have been prominent within the larger realm of conservative conspiracy theorists who believe a shadowy cabal of elites are secretly involved in a widespread cannibalistic pedophile ring.
Previously released documents showed the names of Trump, former President Bill Clinton and other famous figures in Epstein’s contact list and flight logs for his private plane, but no link to criminal activities. Past interviews and video footage from the turn of the century show Trump and Epstein lived near each other in Florida and were at least acquaintances.
“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump said in a 2002 interview. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Among the friends of Trump that Massie claimed he might be protecting in the files is Israel.
“Probably what's at stake here for him is he may be concerned about embarrassing one of our allies, and that would be Israel,” Massie said. “I believe that Epstein was probably an asset of the Israeli intelligence service.”
Massie does not have any direct evidence of that, but said many elected leaders act differently once they are presented with classified intelligence in what are known as “Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities,” or “SCIFs” — secure rooms where top-secret information can be shared.
“When you come out of the SCIF, you tend to operate differently,” Massie said. “I've seen that happen to my colleagues. I suspect that's happened with the president, that he made some promises without certain information. He's been given information, and now he's decided to change course.”
Massie said his procedural tool for bypassing House leadership cannot be voted on by the end of next week, when the House leaves for the August recess, though he expects to have enough support for it to receive a vote when they return in September.
“I suspect that we have a very good chance of getting to 218 signatures,” he said. “I already have six Republican co-sponsors. If you combine that with the number of Democrats in the House and my own vote, we'll get to 218.”
The resolution calls for the attorney general to release all unclassified information related to Epstein and Maxwell, including anyone referenced in connection to criminal activities or investigations. While records relating to victims or depicting sexual abuse would be redacted, it stipulates that records cannot be withheld due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”
Though he hasn’t signed onto the discharge petition, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday the Justice Department should release more Epstein documents. However, that same day, Johnson was among 211 Republicans who voted against a Democratic amendment attempting to force a vote requiring the administration to release the Epstein files. Massie was among the nine Republicans who abstained from the vote.
Massie said there’s a chance Trump will see the momentum behind his discharge petition and seek to “preempt it” with a release of additional Epstein information, which he would consider a win.
On Wednesday, a super PAC run by Trump campaign advisors notified the Federal Election Commission that it is spending another $800,000 on TV and digital attack ads targeting Massie in Kentucky. MAGA KY had already spent half a million dollars in late June on ads hitting Massie for opposing one of the president’s signature bills and his military strikes against Iran.
Massie said the PAC is run by “grifters” in the president’s orbit and is largely an attempt to intimidate other Republicans from crossing Trump, as it won’t affect how he operates.
“They're trying to keep the other members of Congress from departing even one iota from whatever President Trump wants, and it's certainly not changing how I vote,” Massie said.
“I'll be doing things like the Epstein legislation for the next 18 months.”
State government and politics reporting is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
