Massie Moves to Force Vote on Epstein Files Release

The move comes as President Trump and his administration face blowback from many within the GOP base over their handling of information about the disgraced financier, and as Trump attempts to tamp down the amount of attention the issue is receiving.

A discharge petition requires 218 signatures to bypass House leadership and force a vote on a measure. Such petitions are rarely successful, with members of the majority often hesitant to buck their own leaders, and it is rare to see a member of the majority lead the charge on such an effort.

Massie, however, hasn’t been shy about bucking both Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Trump. He has most recently opposed the White House’s strikes on Iran and voted against Trump’s “big, beautiful bill,” leading Trump to threaten an effort to oust him in the midterms.

Khanna, meanwhile, has led the charge on the Democratic side in calling for a House vote to release the Epstein files.

Right-wing influencers who have long pushed conspiracy theories about Epstein recently turned their fury toward the Trump administration, especially Bondi, due to a recent Justice Department memo seeking to dispel those theories.

The memo from last week said no evidence existed that Epstein had a “client list” or that he tried to blackmail powerful figures implicated in his crimes. It also concluded Epstein’s death was due to suicide, pushing back against theories that he was killed in his jail cell.