Trump Foe Thomas Massie Wins Over Maga Allies With His Push For Epstein Files

WASHINGTON — Once fighting a lonely conflict against President Donald Trump, GOP Rep. Thomas Massie has recovered an rumor that is winning him much Republican friends and governmental friends than he has had each year: his push to merchandise nan Jeffrey Epstein files.

Many of Trump’s MAGA friends connected and disconnected Capitol Hill are disappointment pinch Trump and apical officials successful his management for dragging their feet successful releasing nan government’s remaining documents and records related to Epstein, nan precocious financier and convicted activity offender.

But they’re rooting for Massie, who has leaned into nan conflict successful caller weeks and made it his sole ngo to get nan files released. It is simply a uncommon rumor connected which Massie aligns much intimately pinch galore of Trump’s ain supporters than Trump himself. That's a large displacement for Massie, a Kentucky blimpish who was swimming against nan current successful his guidance to Trump's megabill by raising indebtedness concerns that fell connected deaf ears pinch different Republicans.

Nearly a dozen House conservatives person signed connected to Massie’s solution to defy Trump and unit Attorney General Pam Bondi to people “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” that nan Justice Department and FBI possess. Thirteen Democrats, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi of California and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, person joined nan effort, arsenic well.

“I person nan group connected my side,” Massie told reporters, pointing to a CBS News/YouGov poll that recovered that 89% of U.S. adults want each of nan Epstein files released.

Republicans divided evenly successful nan CBS canvass erstwhile they were asked whether they’re “satisfied” aliases “dissatisfied” pinch Trump’s handling of nan Epstein case. That’s very different for Trump, who tends to triumph lopsidedly precocious marks from self-identified Republicans connected his handling of issues. A caller Quinnipiac University poll besides recovered nan GOP divided astir evenly erstwhile it comes to Trump’s handling of nan Epstein matter.

The CBS canvass recovered that Trump’s wide support standing has fallen to 42% but that 89% of Republicans o.k. of nan occupation he has done successful his first six months backmost successful office.

Massie leans into confrontation pinch Trump

Massie is boldly going wherever nary different Republican successful Congress dares go: moving for re-election while leaning into a confrontation pinch Trump, who has threatened to support a superior challenger to oust him successful nan GOP contest.

Massie told NBC News that Trump and his friends are wasting their time, vowing that their efforts to unseat him will not only neglect but besides backfire.

“They’ve spent $1.8 cardinal against maine truthful acold successful my legislature district. I deliberation it’s had very small effect, but they’re trying to hit up connected maine to support everybody other successful statement here. and I deliberation it’s not working,” Massie said. “I deliberation it’s going to backfire tremendously.”

“They’re wasting millions of dollars against me, and they’re going to suffer nan mostly because of that,” he said. “I deliberation it will embolden Republicans who are correct now, quietly, agreeing pinch maine but saying: ‘I’m acrophobic of winning my primary. Let’s spot if you tin triumph yours, Massie.’”

Massie’s assurance drew a clapback from Calvin Moore, a erstwhile House GOP run operative, who said connected X, “How’d that activity retired for [Bob Good?],” referring to nan erstwhile Virginia congressman who lost his 2024 primary to a Trump-backed challenger.

Massie’s foray into nan Epstein saga has besides sparked a personal, very nationalist statement betwixt him and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. Johnson, a Trump loyalist, said Wednesday that “Republicans guidelines for maximum transparency and truth” and are “pushing for nan merchandise of each reliable information” astir nan Epstein matter, but he added that Massie’s Epstein solution pinch Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., would supply nary protection for victims’ identities.

“We person ... a civilized responsibility to protect group who person been nan victims of these unspeakable crimes truthful that their names are not supplier done nan mud,” Johnson said.

A time earlier, Johnson invoked Massie astatine his play news conference, showing different vexation and saying that he was baffled by Massie’s information successful nan Epstein matter and that “some group look to bask trying to inflict governmental symptom connected their ain teammates.”

Massie later told reporters that introducing his Epstein solution now would springiness his effort momentum complete nan House’s five-week summertime recess, which originates Thursday. He and Khanna, Massie said, scheme to record a alleged discharge petition to unit a ballot connected their solution erstwhile nan House returns successful September if they tin triumph support from 218 members.

Then, successful a midnight station connected X, Massie changeable backmost astatine Johnson: “@SpeakerJohnson, why are you moving screen for an underage activity trafficking ringing and pretending this is simply a partisan issue? MAGA voted for this.”

Johnson’s agency didn’t respond to a petition for remark astir Massie’s post. Johnson has many times said anyone who has committed activity crimes should beryllium prosecuted.

And Massie’s effort has been elevated by immoderate podcasters credited pinch boosting Trump successful nan 2024 election, including Theo Von, who precocious said connected X, “Why cant we put nan @RoKhanna @RepThomasMassie measure for a ballot this week @SpeakerJohnson @JDVance??”

Von besides publicly questioned why Vance isn’t opinionated by his earlier remark connected Von’s ain show that “we request to merchandise nan Epstein list; that is an important thing.”

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Cory Mills of Florida and Nancy Mace of South Carolina are among nan Republicans who person signed connected to nan Massie-Khanna resolution. Massie besides has an state successful Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a chap self-described libertarian who describes Massie arsenic a bully friend.

“I’m a large protagonist of his, and vice versa. I’m readying a 10-city circuit pinch him successful September to support him, and we will do what it takes. We some correspond benignant of nan liberty helping of nan Republican Party,” Paul said. “We want to make judge that we don’t let anybody to travel successful and effort to conclusion him.”

Paul is nan only GOP legislator who voted against Trump’s megabill because of indebtedness concerns, but, dissimilar Massie, he doesn’t look re-election until 2028. Paul said he’s “very confident” Massie will hit a Trump-backed challenge.

“He’s nan astir fiscally blimpish personnel of nan House. He’s nan astir pro-gun personnel of nan House, astir pro-Bill of Rights personification successful nan House,” Paul said. “Good consciousness of humor, travels nan territory and is personification who pays attraction to his constituents. I deliberation he’ll do well.”