House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly called on the Justice Department to release documents pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein, putting him on the opposite side from President Donald Trump. This unusual rift between two close allies comes as increasing pressure is building from right-wing conservatives calling for complete transparency in the long-hidden Epstein case.
In a Tuesday interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson, the Speaker said, "It's a very sensitive issue, but we should put everything on the table and let the people determine it." His comments represent a mounting frustration among Trump's base, which had hoped the president would more forcefully pursue Epstein's case.
The Justice Department last week concluded that Epstein had committed suicide in 2019 while he was undergoing trial for federal sex trafficking offenses. The officials also revealed that there is no client list and that there will be no further releases in the case.
The declaration sparked renewed criticism from conservatives, some of whom blame Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi for withholding key information. Bondi had earlier asserted on Fox News that she had Epstein's client list "sitting on [her] desk right now."
Johnson now asserts that Bondi "needs to come forward and explain that to everybody" He went on, "We need the DOJ working on big priorities, so let's get this thing resolved."
Even with mounting pressure, House Republicans defeated a Democratic resolution last week that would have forced the release of Epstein-related documents. Nevertheless, Democrats are resolute in keeping the matter under fire.
Representatives of the House Judiciary Committee are demanding hearings with Bondi, her deputy, and senior FBI officials. They demand answers regarding inconsistencies in the government's responses and the location of alleged case files.
In the midst of mounting controversy, Trump has attempted to defuse the matter, at the weekend he posted on Truth Social, "Let's keep [America] that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about."
This move has further angered Trump's MAGA base, with his critics labeling it a betrayal of his previous commitments. In his campaigns, Trump had committed to fully probing Epstein and revealing his network.
With the breaking ranks of Speaker Johnson, pressure is now building on the administration to heed public calls and declassify the files relating to one of the most contentious criminal cases in recent history.
