Johnson Defends Trump Against Epstein Accusations
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday pushed back hard on Democrat-driven conspiracy chatter surrounding the Epstein files, making clear that President Donald J. Trump has nothing to do with the case—and emphasizing that the GOP majority is moving swiftly toward full transparency, despite Democrats trying to weaponize the issue.
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Johnson highlighted how the House has begun returning to real, constitutional “regular order” after years of dysfunction under Democrat leadership.
“We are returning to regular order—the way this Congress is supposed to work,” Johnson, R-La., said. “I’m very proud of this achievement, having three bills signed into law Wednesday night.”
Johnson noted that even during the government shutdown, House Republicans were more in touch with their constituents than ever—while Democrats voted 16 separate times to prolong the shutdown, inflict maximum pain on Americans, and gain zero ground.
“Remember, the Democrats in Congress voted 16 times to keep the government closed… and it was all for naught. They got nothing out of it,” Johnson said.
Johnson blasted Democrats for trying to manufacture a narrative that President Trump’s name appears in the yet-unreleased Epstein documents—a narrative Johnson called flat-out false.
“They’re doing this to go after President Trump on this theory that he has something to do with it. He does not,” Johnson said. “I talk with him all the time. He has nothing to do with this.”
Trump, Johnson added, is frustrated because Democrats are twisting a sensitive case involving real victims into a political weapon—out of sheer desperation.
“The Democrats have nothing else to talk about,” Johnson said, calling the Epstein files smear campaign “their entire game plan.”
Despite their public posturing, Johnson revealed Democrats blocked an opportunity to release the files immediately.
“I offered them on the floor to pass by unanimous consent the discharge petition,” Johnson said. “Guess who objected? The Democrats.”
Johnson said the GOP-led House will bring the measure back this week—and he expects it to pass overwhelmingly.
“There’s nothing to hide,” Johnson said. “The Oversight Committee is releasing far more information than the discharge petition even anticipated. The discharge is totally moot. It is a political exercise, and we’re going to dispense with that this week.”
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., predicted a tidal wave of Republican votes in favor of releasing the files.
“I think we could have a deluge of Republicans,” Massie said on ABC’s This Week. “There could be 100 or more.”
Massie, along with Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna, led the discharge petition that forced the upcoming vote.
He urged colleagues not to cave to political fear—or to imagine Trump’s endorsement solves everything forever.
“Donald Trump can protect you in red districts right now,” Massie said. “But in 2030, he’s not going to be the president, and you will have voted to protect pedophiles if you don’t vote to release these files. The record of this vote will last longer than Donald Trump’s presidency.”
With a vote expected this week, Johnson signaled confidence that the House will choose transparency—and expose which side is actually serious about helping victims, and which side just wants a political weapon.