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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Oliver O'Connell,Rachel Dobkin and James Liddell

Epstein list updates: Trump says files are ‘irrelevant’ distraction from his success as survivors make emotional pleas for docs release

Donald Trump Oval Office

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse gathered in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, joining lawmakers from both parties in demanding the full release of the files on the late sex offender.

As many as 100 victims of Epstein’s abuse, along with other survivors of sexual abuse, came together for a joint news conference held by Congressmen Thomas Massie, a Republican, and Ro Khanna, a Democrat, and MAGA lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene.

This followed the GOP-led House Oversight Committee releasing more than 33,000 pages of documents related to Epstein after it subpoenaed the Justice Department for them. Democrats noted that “97 percent” of the material was already public.

One of those present was Marina Lacerda, previously only known as “minor victim one” in the 2019 indictment of Epstein: “I would like for them to give all the victims transparency, right, to what happened and release these files. It's also not only for the victims, but for the American people.”

Fellow survivor Haley Robson invited President Donald Trump to meet with her to understand that the Epstein files and investigation are not a hoax.

Speaking at the White House shortly after, Trump again referred to the files as a “Democrat hoax,” in response to a question from The Independent. He accused Democrats of “trying to get people to talk about something that's totally irrelevant to the success that we've had as a nation since I've been President.”

Key points

  • Epstein victims invite Trump to meet with them, as he calls again calls case a 'hoax' — again
  • 'Give me a list': Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will name names on behalf of victims
  • Epstein survivor furious about Todd Blanche interview with Ghislaine Maxwell
  • ANALYSIS: Can Epstein’s survivors beat back Trump’s pressure campaign over ‘files’?
  • Missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video revealed in document dump
  • More than 33,000 pages of Epstein files released by Republican House panel

Recap: Here's everything you need to know

03:07 , Rachel Dobkin
  • As many as 100 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse joined Representatives Thomas Massie, R-KY, Ro Khanna, D-CA, and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, for a news conference in Washington, D.C., pushing for the release of documents related to the late convicted sex offender.
  • Massie has filed a discharge petition to force a House vote on the release of the Epstein files, the same day the House Oversight Committee released documents subpoenaed from the Justice Department that Democrats say are mostly already public.
  • President Donald Trump called the Epstein files a “Democrat hoax” and “totally irrelevant.”
  • Epstein survivor Haley Robson invited Trump to meet with her to understand that the files are not a hoax.

Trump claims to have not heard online speculation about his death over the weekend

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:07 , Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump makes his first official appearance in a week to announce the relocation of U.S. Space Command to Alabama (REUTERS)

Asked about the social media speculation over the weekend that he had died, President Donald Trump said he had not heard about that.

He said he was very active over the weekend, citing interviews he had given, long Truth Social posts, and the visits to his golf club in Virginia to meet people.

The president said that reports about his health are “fake news.”

Trump says US 'shot out' Venezuela 'drug boat'

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that U.S. forces “shot out” what he described as a drug-carrying boat that he linked to Venezuela.

“We have a lot of drugs pouring into our country, coming in for a long time. And we just, these came out of Venezuela,” said Trump, who did not provide details of the operation.

The U.S. has deployed several ships in the southern Caribbean with the aim of following through on Trump's pledge to crack down on drug cartels.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted:

Rubio then followed that up with a post, saying: “...today the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike in the southern Caribbean against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.”

Trump says 'we're going in' when asked about sending troops to Chicago

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Asked if he's decided on sending the National Guard into Chicago, President Donald Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office: “We're going in. I didn't say when we're going in.”

He does not specify when, but then adds that he wants Democratic Governor JB Pritzker to call him.

Trump asked about video of someone throwing bag out of White House window

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Pete Doocy of Fox News asked President Donald Trump about the video circulating online of someone throwing a bag out of an upstairs window of the White House residence over the weekend.

Trump dismisses the video as A.I.-generated, pointing out that the windows in question are heavily armored and bulletproof, making them impossible to open.

However, earlier, the White House confirmed that the video was real.

A White House official told The Independent that the window was opened — and the bag tossed out — by “a contractor who was doing regular maintenance while the President was gone.”

Trump will ask Supreme Court for an expedited ruling on tariffs

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:31 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump says he’s going to the Supreme Court as soon as tomorrow with an emergency appeal following a ruling against his ability to impose tariffs on imports.

Trump says the US will be a third-world country without tariffs.

“If you took away tariffs, we could end up being a 'Third World' country,” Trump told reporters. “So we are asking for an expedited ruling.”

Here’s what you need to know:

Appeals court blocks Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ orders and deems them illegal

Full story: Trump blames the ‘so fake’ media for health rumors

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:37 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump slammed the “so fake” news media over swirling speculation about his declining health — but still appeared to have a bruised hand during his first public appearance in a week.

Trump seemed to be in good spirits as he joked with his MAGA allies while announcing that the U.S. Space Command would be moved from Colorado to Alabama. It was his first appearance in a week, and came after his empty schedule over Labor Day weekend sparked mass speculation and frenzied online rumors about his health.

Isabel Keane reports.

Trump blames the ‘so fake’ media for health rumors

Watch: Trump not concerned by Putin and Kim Jong-Un attending China military parad

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Full story: Trump ends turf war and will move Space Command HQ to Alabama from Colorado

Tuesday 2 September 2025 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

President Trump is authorizing the U.S. Space Command headquarters to relocate from Colorado to Alabama, bringing an end to years of political bickering over the hub's fate for the military’s space-related operations. This move effectively punishes the Centennial State for electing Democrats and rewards Alabama for supporting him and his party.

Andrew Feinberg and Josh Marcus report.

Trump ends turf war and plans to move Space Command to Alabama from Colorado: report

Posters showing Pete Hegseth and Stephen Miller being hit in head with hoagies appear in DC

Tuesday 2 September 2025 21:08 , Oliver O'Connell

New posters depicting the so-called “sandwich guy” hitting Trump administration officials in the head with hoagies have cropped up in Washington, D.C., the latest symbol of protest against the president’s crime crackdown in the nation’s capital.

Kelly Rissman explains what’s going on.

Posters showing Hegseth being hit with hoagie from ‘sandwich guy’ pop up in DC

Colorado congressional delegation pushes back on Trump Space Command announcement

Tuesday 2 September 2025 21:19 , Oliver O'Connell

In a statement, the entirety of the Colorado congressional delegation — including both Republican and Democratic members — vowed to challenge the move, which they said would “directly harm our state and the nation.”

“We are united in fighting to reverse this decision. Bottom line — moving Space Command headquarters weakens our national security at the worst possible time,” they said.

“The Trump administration should not play political games with our nation’s military readiness and military families,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser told KKTV.

DC grand jury again declines to bring charges amid Trump takeover — another defeat for Jeanine Pirro

Tuesday 2 September 2025 21:26 , Oliver O'Connell

For the third time in recent weeks, a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., has rejected the Attorney’s Office’s attempt to criminally indict a person accused of making threats against an official – the latest sign of pushback from residents in the city overtaken by federal law enforcement.

Ariana Baio has the story.

Another defeat for Pirro as DC grand jury again declines to bring charges

DC mayor welcomes federal law enforcement to stay indefinitely

Tuesday 2 September 2025 21:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser has welcomed federal law enforcement officials to remain in the capital indefinitely, signalling a significant willingness to cooperate with President Donald Trump’s efforts to take over public safety.

In a social media statement, Mayor Bowser said her order would “provide the pathway forward beyond the Presidential emergency.” She has previously stated that due to the federal government’s power over the District, she can achieve more by working with him on “their shared priorities.”

The Washington Post reports that the announcement on Tuesday afternoon was reportedly met with approval by Trump, giving the green light to elements of his administration’s operations in D.C., according to a senior White House official.

Last month, the president federalized the local police department, deployed National Guard members to the streets, and sent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to address immigration concerns.

There has been considerable pushback from residents of the district.

‘Largest union busting in American history’: Trump orders end protections for 450,000 federal workers

Tuesday 2 September 2025 21:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump promised his presidency would usher in a “golden age” for American workers, but his administration has gutted union protections for tens of thousands of federal workers in what labor activists and historians have called the largest acts of union busting in American history.

Nearly half a million federal workers lost their union protections last month in the wake of the president’s executive orders demanding federal agencies abandon collective bargaining agreements and appeals court orders upholding those decisions.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump orders have ended union protections for 450,000 federal workers in a month

Full story: Trump contradicts staff with explanation of item being thrown from White House window

Tuesday 2 September 2025 22:02 , Oliver O'Connell

A video that captured a mysterious object being thrown out of a White House window went viral, sparking wild conspiracy theories online before competing explanations were offered by an administration official - and the president himself.

Kelly Rissman has the bizarre story.

Trump contradicts official’s explanation for item being thrown from White House

Republican House members express support for Trump’s actions in Washington

Tuesday 2 September 2025 22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican House members convened outside the US Capitol on their return from recess, expressing robust support for Donald Trump's initiatives to tackle crime in Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers from states including North Dakota and South Carolina reiterated concerns about capital crime, crediting Trump. Representative Buddy Carter, a Georgia Republican campaigning for a Senate seat, stated: “We are here today to talk about something Donald Trump promised during the campaign. He promised to make our nation safer and more prosperous.”

He then introduced 'Make Our Streets Safe Again' legislation.

Wyoming's Representative Harriet Hageman added, “President Trump’s unyielding leadership and strength, coupled with proper congressional oversight, ensure that Washington, D.C., will reclaim its rightful place.”

The news conference was interrupted by two protesters, who Capitol Police apprehended. As the lawmakers concluded, dozens of demonstrators chanted “shame.”

National Guard deployed to DC to fight crime has picked up 500 bags of trash

Tuesday 2 September 2025 22:40 , Oliver O'Connell

National Guard troops were deployed to Washington, D.C. to fight crime, but they have also participated in President Donald Trump’s beautification efforts, collecting 500 bags of trash along a 3.2-mile stretch.

When Trump announced last month he had placed D.C. police under direct federal control and deployed the National Guard to the city, he said he did it to “rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse.”

Now, soldiers are rescuing D.C. from litter, as Rachel Dobkin reports.

National Guard deployed to DC to fight crime has picked up 500 bags of trash

Jeanine Pirro’s DC office boasts about touring the Supreme Court — with pictures of the Capitol

Tuesday 2 September 2025 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Despite being based in Washington, D.C., staffers in U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office appeared to confuse prominent government buildings on Tuesday when they boasted about touring the Supreme Court in photos taken at the Capitol building.

In a now-deleted X post, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. flaunted that Pirro, a former judge and Fox News host, organized “a tour of the Supreme Court” for the office’s fall 2025 intern class.

Ariana Baio has the story.

Jeanine Pirro’s DC office appears to confuse government buildings in X post

Trump deploys military to immigration courts to speed up mass deportations

Tuesday 2 September 2025 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

After firing or forcing out dozens of immigration court judges, the Trump administration is planning to fill the benches with military lawyers under the command of the Department of Justice.

Last week, the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review gave itself permission to hire “any attorney” to serve as temporary immigration judges, even if they don’t have any experience in that area of the law.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has now approved sending up to 600 military lawyers to the Justice Department to fill the bench in immigration courts across the country, according to a recent memo.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump deploys military to immigration courts to speed up mass deportations

Thousands of Epstein files released by the House Oversight Committee

Tuesday 2 September 2025 23:48 , Rachel Dobkin

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has released more than 30,000 pages of the so-called "Epstein files" that it received from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The files, revolving around child sex abuser and New York financier Jeffrey Epstein, were released to Congress in response to a subpoena from the committee's chairman, Representative James Comer, that was issued on August 5.

According to the committee, more documents may be coming from the Justice Department, noting that it has "indicated it will continue producing those records while ensuring the redaction of victim identities and any child sexual abuse material."

Full article from Graig Graziosi:

House Oversight Committee releases batch of Epstein files

Rep. Thomas Massie says there's 'nothing new' in Epstein files release

Wednesday 3 September 2025 00:30 , Rachel Dobkin

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has said there is “nothing new” in the documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that the House Oversight Committee released on Tuesday.

"My staff has done a quick look at it, and it looks like a bunch of redacted documents and nothing new, so it's not going to suffice,” he told Axios.

Massie filed a discharge petition Tuesday, which could force a vote on releasing the so-called Epstein files. But 218 signatures from House members are needed for it to be successful.

Democrat bashes release of the Epstein files: 'Don't let this fool you'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 01:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Representative Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, bashed the release of documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, warning Americans, “Don’t let this fool you.”

The House Oversight Committee released over 33,000 documents on Tuesday after subpoenaing the Justice Department for them.

But Garcia, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, says most of the documents have already been made available to the public. Here is his full statement:

The 33,000 pages of Epstein documents [Oversight Committee Chairman] James Comer has decided to ‘release’ were already mostly public information. To the American people – don’t let this fool you.

After careful review, Oversight Democrats have found that 97% of the documents received from the Department of Justice were already public. There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims.

House Republicans are trying to make a spectacle of releasing already-public documents. [Attorney General] Pam Bondi has said the client list was on her desk. She could release it right now if she wanted to.

While Comer tries to give cover to Trump by re-releasing public documents, House Democrats are fighting for real transparency. Pam Bondi must comply with our subpoena immediately, and release all of the documents. The American people demand it.

Representative Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, bashed the release of documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, warning Americans, 'Don’t let this fool you' (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

In a July memo, the Justice Department and FBI said there was never any Epstein client list of powerful people who may have participated in his crimes.

The memo also stated “no further disclosure [of information regarding Epstein] would be appropriate or warranted.”

MTG says she's 'proud' to sign discharge petition to release Epstein files

Wednesday 3 September 2025 01:30 , Rachel Dobkin

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, said she was “proud” to be signing a discharge petition to force the release of documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Congressman Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, filed the petition Tuesday. Besides his signature, he will need 217 signatures from his colleagues for it to be successful.

“I’m committed to doing everything possible for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein,” Greene wrote on X later Tuesday. “Including exposing the cabal of rich and powerful elites that enabled this. I’m proud to be signing @RepThomasMassie‘s discharge petition.”

Republicans push to rename Defense Department after Trump complained about it

Wednesday 3 September 2025 02:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Republicans in the House and Senate have introduced legislation to rename the Defense Department after President Donald Trump complained about it.

Trump recently called for the Defense Department to revert to its old name, the Department of War, saying, “It had a stronger sound.”

Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Greg Steube of Florida introduced versions of a bill to bring back the Department of War title, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

“It should always be clear to anyone who would harm our people: Americans don’t just play defense,” Steube said.

What you need to know from today...

Wednesday 3 September 2025 02:13 , Oliver O'Connell
  • The House Oversight Committee released tens of thousands of documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but Democrats say most of those files have already been made available to the public.
  • Donald Trump made his first official public appearance in a week, addressing online speculation about his health and blaming the media for 'fake' reports.
  • He announced the relocation of the U.S. Space Command headquarters from Colorado to Huntsville, Alabama, a decision that has drawn strong opposition from Colorado's congressional delegation.
  • Trump also stated that the U.S. had attacked a drug boat originating from Venezuela and confirmed plans to send federal troops to Chicago and Baltimore to combat crime.
  • He dismissed footage of a bag being thrown from a White House window as AI-generated, despite an earlier explanation from his staff that it was a contractor disposing of an item.
  • The Space Command relocation is viewed by critics as a politically motivated move, potentially punishing Colorado for increasingly voting for Democrats and rewarding strongly Republican Alabama.

Governor Pritzker pushes back on Trump's plans to send National Guard to Chicago

Wednesday 3 September 2025 02:30 , Rachel Dobkin

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has pushed back on President Donald Trump’s plans to send the National Guard to Chicago.

Trump’s federal takeover of Washington, D.C., is in full swing, and he has recently been threatening to crack down on crime in other major cities.

On Tuesday, he said he would send federal troops to Chicago and Baltimore.

“There is no emergency that warrants deployment of troops,” Pritzker said in response at a press conference, per The New York Times.

The governor continued: “He is insulting the people of Chicago by calling our home a hellhole, and anyone who takes his word at face value is insulting Chicagoans. too.”

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks to the press on Tuesday in Chicago (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Trump calls rumors that he's dead 'fake news'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 03:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Donald Trump called rumors that he died “fake news,” squashing conspiracies about the president’s health after he didn’t make any public appearances over the Labor Day weekend, aside from a brief sighting at his Virginia golf course Saturday.

America is split on whether Trump’s health and age are impacting his ability to serve as president

Wednesday 3 September 2025 03:30 , Rachel Dobkin

America is split on whether Donald Trump’s health and age are impacting his ability to serve as president, a new poll has found.

Speculation over Trump’s physical fitness during his second term has grown ever since photos of his swollen ankles and bruised hands, which are sometimes covered by makeup, began circulating online.

Online rumors reached a fever pitch when Trump, 79, did not make a public appearance over the Labor Day weekend, aside from a brief sighting at his Virginia golf course Saturday.

In a YouGov survey conducted Tuesday, 38 percent of Americans said Trump’s health and age “severely limit his ability to do the job” as president, while 21 percent said it had “little effect.”

Read more...

America split on whether Trump’s health and age impact his ability to be president

Trump's deployment of troops to LA was illegal, says federal judge

Wednesday 3 September 2025 04:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump and administration officials violated the law by deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to protests against his anti-immigration agenda, a federal judge in California ruled.

The president’s troop deployment violated the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits “the use of the U.S. military to execute domestic law,” according to Tuesday’s decision from District Judge Charles Breyer.

Alex Woodward reports.

Trump illegally sent National Guard to Los Angeles, federal judge rules

Virginia Giuffre relative says Trump administration has a 'duty' to release the Epstein files

Wednesday 3 September 2025 04:30 , Rachel Dobkin

A relative of Virginia Giuffre, one of the women who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, said the Trump administration has a “duty” to release the documents related to the late convicted sex offender.

Amanda Roberts, the sister-in-law of Giuffre, who died by suicide last April, told NBC News in an interview that aired Tuesday, the so-called Epstein files are “so big right now because this administration ran their campaign on this. These were promises that they made.”

“It's your duty to do what your constituents, what the American public is asking you for. So that's all we're asking,” she added.

In pictures: Demonstrators protest against Trump's D.C. takeover

Wednesday 3 September 2025 05:00 , Rachel Dobkin

It’s been weeks since President Donald Trump took over the D.C. police and deployed the National Guard in the capital city.

Protesters have rallied against the federal takeover and the Trump administration. Here are some pictures from demonstrations in D.C. on Tuesday:

Protesters rally against National Guard deployment as they march on Capitol Hill (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
A modified District of Columbia flag reads 'Don't tread on DC' during an anti-Trump protest at Union Station (Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)
Demonstrators gather at Union Station for an anti-Trump protest (Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)
The dome of the U.S. Capitol building is seen beyond an upside-down U.S. flag during an anti-Trump protest at Union Station (Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty)

ICYMI: Rudy Giuliani leaves the hospital after being injured in a car crash

Wednesday 3 September 2025 06:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani has been released from the hospital and “is progressing well” after being injured when the vehicle he was riding in was struck from behind on a highway in New Hampshire, a spokesman said Tuesday.

The former New York City mayor, 81, was injured Saturday shortly after stopping “to assist a person in urgent need of help,” spokesman Ted Goodman said in a statement.

Read on...

Rudy Giuliani leaves the hospital after being injured in a car crash in New Hampshire

After Trump attacks, hundreds of economists sign open letter backing embattled Fed governor

Wednesday 3 September 2025 07:00 , Oliver O'Connell

More than 450 economists, including several Nobel Prize winners, have signed a letter in support of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, whom President Donald Trump has sought to oust on unproven allegations of mortgage fraud.

The letter condemns elected officials for engaging in “rhetoric or actions that erode the Federal Reserve’s independence,” and specifically cites Trump’s recent unproven claims about Cook.

Ariana Baio has the story.

More than 450 economists sign open letter backing Fed Governor Lisa Cook

Democrat calls Epstein victims' stories 'horrific and infuriating'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 08:00 , Rachel Dobkin

Representative Robert Garcia of California called the stories from victims of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “horrific and infuriating.”

The House Oversight Committee heard from the victims of Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, earlier Tuesday.

“In the days and weeks ahead we will be hearing more from these victims. We need to believe them,” Garcia, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, wrote on X Tuesday night.

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in a scheme to abuse minor girls with Epstein for a decade.

Hegseth shares 'unclassified' video of strike on Venezuela's Tren de Aragua 'drug boat'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 08:26 , James Liddell

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an “unclassified” video of a U.S. strike that allegedly killed 11 members of the Tren de Aragua transnational gang on a “drug vessel” in the Caribbean, after Donald Trump announced the attack on Truth Social.

The president didn’t dive into the details about the attack in a news conference on Tuesday, which was overshadowed by rumors surrounding his health.

Later Tuesday, Trump said on social media that he had ordered the U.S. military to conduct a “kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narco terrorists.”

The strike, he said, occurred while the alleged gang members were in the process of ferrying narcotics to the U.S., in international waters.

ANALYSIS: Four things to watch as Congress takes over Epstein files probe after Trump inaction on sex trafficker’s ‘list’

Wednesday 3 September 2025 08:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

As Congress returns this week, so does the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, as well as President Donald Trump’s inevitable pushback.

For those who might have forgotten, in July, the Department of Justice released a two-page memo stating that the convicted sex offender and disgraced financier had no “client list” and likely killed himself in prison. That set off a firestorm among both critics of the president and even some of his biggest fans.

Democrats sought to make hay of the matter and proceeded to try to include amendments related to the investigation in the House Rules Committee, which forced House Speaker Mike Johnson to send the House of Representatives home early for the August recess.

Trump, for his part, has hoped that the whole thing would just go away. But now that Congress is back, both the House and Senate can take action on Epstein.

Here are four things to watch for as Congress takes up the Epstein investigation:

Four things to watch as Congress takes over Epstein files probe after Trump inaction

Epstein victims compiling own 'client list': 'A severe miscarriage of justice'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 09:12 , James Liddell

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are reportedly assembling their own “client lists” amid mounting concern that the Trump administration is stalling the release of the full, unredacted files on the late sex offender.

Six victims of the disgraced financier told NBC News on Tuesday. that they are determined to “seek justice on our own.”

“I’m coming here because there’s been a severe miscarriage of justice, a delay in accountability,” said Jess Michaels.

“They have emails, they have flight logs, they have a list they’ve compiled, and I feel like if they’re not going to release this list to the public that everybody wants to see, a lot of us survivors know, we’ve been compiling lists of our own,“ continued Lisa Phillips.

“A lot of us survivors know we’ve been compiling lists of our own, and we have so many other survivors,” she added.“I mean, I think that’s what’s going to happen next.”

Trump accuses Xi, Putin and Kim of conspiring against US after Chinese military parade

Wednesday 3 September 2025 09:37 , James Liddell

As Chinese President Xi Jinping gathered almost two-dozen world leaders to watch one of his country’s largest-ever military parades, Donald Trump posted a issued a sarcastic message.

“May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration,” the president wrote on Truth Social Tuesday evening. “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”

The event, which was held to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat and the end of the Second World War, saw Xi flaunt China’s arsenal of modern weapons, including a brand new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile.

Xi posed for a group photograph that, among other prominent leaders, featured North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin – the first time the three are believed to have ever gathered in one place.

Dozens of Epstein victims to descend on DC this morning

Wednesday 3 September 2025 10:07 , James Liddell

As many as 100 victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, along with other survivors of sexual abuse, are expected to gather in Washington, D.C., for a rally on Wednesday.

“The voices of survivors have been omitted from the conversation for far too long,” Lauren Hersh of World Without Exploitation, one of the groups organizing the event, told the Miami Herald.

“This is the moment to stand united to ensure that those who’ve been exploited and abused are heard loud and clear.”

The group is set to mobilize near Capitol Hill in advance of ahead of a 10.30 press conference held by Congressmen Thomas Massie, a Republican, and Ro Khanna, a Democrat, who are leading a bipartisan Congressional effort for the Justice Department to release the full, unredacted files on Epstein.

GOP lawmaker spotted leaving Epstein victims meeting in tears

Wednesday 3 September 2025 10:36 , James Liddell

South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace was photographed leaving a meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse in floods of tears on Tuesday as she left the Government Reform Committee in Washington, D.C.

“As a recent survivor (not 2 years in), I had a very difficult time listening to their stories,” the Republican lawmaker wrote on X, explaining her early departure. “Full blown panic attack. Sweating. Hyperventilating. Shaking. I can’t breathe.”

She added: “I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us. GOD BLESS ALL SURVIVORS.”

Congresswoman Nancy Mace said she was ‘sweating’ and having panic attacks after speaking to Epstein’s victims (AFP/Getty)
Mace was photographed on Tuesday in tears as she left the Government Reform Committee in Washington, D.C. (AFP/Getty)

Appeals court blocks Trump from deporting Venezuelan migrants under archaic wartime law

Wednesday 3 September 2025 11:06 , James Liddell

A federal appeals court blocked President Donald Trump from using the Alien Enemies Act, an obscure 18th-century wartime law, to quickly deport a group of Venezuelan migrants.

In a 2-1 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit found “no invasion or predatory incursion” by the group of Venezuelans whom the Trump administration accused of being members of Tren de Aragua.

“A country's encouraging its residents and citizens to enter this country illegally is not the modern-day equivalent of sending an armed, organized force to occupy, to disrupt, or to otherwise harm the United States," the court said.

“There is no finding that this mass immigration was an armed, organized force or forces.”

Trump to welcome new Polish president to White House

Wednesday 3 September 2025 11:35 , James Liddell

Donald Trump is set to welcome Poland’s new president, Karol Nawrocki, to the White House this morning.

Nawrocki, the nationalist Law and Justice party candidate publicly endorsed by Trump, is scheduled to arrive at the executive mansion at 11 a.m., marking his first overseas trip since assuming office last month

The former amateur boxer and historian hopes to strengthen ties with Trump and make the case that the U.S. needs to maintain a strong military presence in Poland.

Nancy Mace leaves Epstein victims' testimony hearing in tears after ‘full blown panic attack’

Wednesday 3 September 2025 12:06 , James Liddell

South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace revealed she suffered a “full blown panic attack” after speaking to several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse.

Tears streamed down the Republican lawmaker’s face on Tuesday as she shuffled past reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C, following her early departure from a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee briefing.

A visibly shaken Mace was among the members of Congress who met privately with six Epstein accusers, as the GOP-led panel continues its investigation into the Trump administration’s handling of the disgraced financier’s case.

Read more:

Nancy Mace leaves Epstein victim’s testimony hearing in tears after ‘panic attack’

Missing minute from Epstein jail cell footage unearthed in latest batch of files

Wednesday 3 September 2025 12:37 , James Liddell

One minute of footage that appeared to be missing from surveillance video capturing Jeffrey Epstein’s final hours before his suicide inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center has been unearthed.

A digital clock visible on the bottom left corner of the footage jumps from 11:58:58 p.m. to 12:00:00 a.m. – with Attorney General Pam Bondi blaming an outdated recording system that produced the video, claiming it resets every day at midnight and skips the same minute each evening.

Now, the previously missing minute of footage has surfaced, uncovered within two additional hours of recordings released in Tuesday’s Epstein document dump by the House Oversight Committee, according to the BBC

The new files apparently show the camera data switched at about midnight, which led to a necessary merging of the two clips for a continuous video.

Fox News Digital combined the two clips after the latest release on Tuesday, showing there was no lapse in footage – contradicting Bondi’s claims.

Nancy Mace 'not worried' about crossing Trump on Epstein

Wednesday 3 September 2025 13:06 , James Liddell

Hours after Nancy Mace revealed she suffered a “full blown panic attack” during a briefing with several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse, the South Carolina representative appeared unfazed about crossing President Donald Trump on Epstein.

Speaking to The Independent’s Washington, D.C., Bureau Chief Eric Garcia, Mace,  a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee member, said: “Donald Trump is the one who banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar a Lago.

“He was an FBI informant, and he talked to the feds to get this guy turned over. So Donald Trump is a hero in this.”

Watch: Trump will ask Supreme Court for ‘expedited ruling’ on tariffs appeal

Wednesday 3 September 2025 13:35 , James Liddell

10 Epstein victims to speak out for 'first time' at D.C. news conference

Wednesday 3 September 2025 13:53 , James Liddell

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are expected to spark public outrage when they step in front of cameras in Washington, D.C., as lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle demand the full release of the files on the sex offender.

As many as 100 victims of Epstein’s abuse, along with other survivors of sexual abuse, are expected to gather near Capitol Hill for a rally ahead of a 10.30 a.m. joint news conference held by Congressmen Thomas Massie, a Republican, and Ro Khanna, a Democrat.

Khanna, who is expected to discuss his Epstein Files Transparency Bill, told Fox News that “people are going to be outraged” by what is revealed in the presser.

The Democrat says that 10 Epstein survivors will “speak out for the first time.”

Democrats rage at 'recycled' material in latest Epstein file release

Wednesday 3 September 2025 14:19 , James Liddell

California Representative Robert Garcia said that “97 percent” of the more than 33,000 pages of documents related to Epstein published by the House Oversight Committee “were already public.”

Pennsylvania Representative Summer Lee echoed Garcia’s sentiments and noted the files comprised largely of “recycled” material.

Illinois Representative Raja Krishnamoorth told the Washington Post that “the first tranche appears to be largely in the public domain, so it doesn’t feel like it’s really the stuff that we should be putting out.”

'Minor Victim One' comes forward in ABC interview

Wednesday 3 September 2025 14:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Marina Lacerda, previously only known as “minor victim one” in the 2019 indictment of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has broken her silence and revealed her identity in an interview with ABC News, broadcast today on Good Morning America.

“I would like for them to give all the victims transparency, right, to what happened and release these files. It's also not only for the victims, but for the American people,” Lacerda told ABC News' Linsey Davis regarding Epstein, the wealthy financier and pedophile who died while awaiting trial in a New York jail in 2019.

Lacerda first met Epstein in 2002 when she was 14 years old. She was recruited to provide a massage at his home, which began years of sexual abuse.

She was the central witness who provided crucial information that allowed federal prosecutors to build a case and charge Epstein with sex trafficking minors in New York.

Federal investigators had previously contacted Lacerda in 2008, when charges were first made against Epstein in Florida, but she was unable to testify before a grand jury due to a controversial non-prosecution agreement the financier had secured. A decade later, her testimony helped move the case against him forward.

Watch the interview below via ABC:

Watch LIVE: Ro Khanna, Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene appear with Epstein victims on Capitol Hill

Wednesday 3 September 2025 14:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Giuffre brother demands Maxwell stay in jail and all Epstein files be released

Wednesday 3 September 2025 14:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Speaking at the rally on Capitol Hill this morning, Sky Roberts, the brother of Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein victim, demanded that Ghislaine Maxwell, the late sex offender’s accomplice, remain in jail.

He fought back tears as she stood with his wife, Amanda, and brother Daniel as he spoke about his sister, who died by suicide earlier this year.

“The Epstein documents must be unsealed. Every name, every name, every detail, every detail, no more secrets, no more protection for those who preyed on the vulnerable,” he told the crowd.

Oversight document dump reveals missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:05 , Oliver O'Connell

One minute of missing surveillance footage from Jeffrey Epstein’s final hours before his suicide has surfaced in a new document dump on the late sex offender.

Conspiracy theories have swirled ever since observers spotted the mysterious 61-second gap in the 11 hours of “full raw” footage from inside New York City’s Metropolitan Correctional Center that the Justice Department and FBI released in early July.

A digital clock visible on the bottom left corner of the footage jumps from 11:58:58 p.m. on August 9, 2019, to 12:00:00 a.m. on August 10, 2019.

James Liddell reports.

Missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video revealed in document dump

In pictures: Survivors of sexual abuse by Epstein and supporters rally on Capitol Hill

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Women abused by the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are rallying on Capitol Hill and speaking out to pressure the Justice Department into releasing all of the criminal investigation files in the case.

The demands challenge President Donald Trump and some Republican congressional leaders who have asked for more information about Epstein for years but now say that releasing all documents could harm his victims.

The House Oversight Committee released over 33,000 pages of Epstein-related documents from the Justice Department late last night; however, lawmakers and other advocates who had been awaiting the records said there was little new.

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and their supporters gather on Capitol Hill to rally for the full release of the Epstein files (Getty)
Annie Farmer, a victim of the late financier and sister of another victim, Maria Farmer, speaks to the crowd (Reuters)
Survivor Liz Stein arrives to speak (Getty)
Attorney Sigrid McCawley, lawyer for Annie Farmer, addresses the crowd (Getty)
Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:19 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Rep Anna Paulina Luna will not sign onto Rep Thomas Massie’s discharge petition for releasing the Epstein files.

If all Democrats in the House sign on, the backers of the bill only need two more Republicans.

Epstein victim says all survivors deserve 'love and support'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein survivor Haley Robson spoke about the solidarity between the women who suffered abuse at the hands of the late sex offender.

“I came out in 2019 on the documentary Filthy Rich. I have been very focused on bringing more awareness to all of the survivors. I am so proud to stand with them.

“I am so proud to be up here to support them because they deserve all the love and support.

“And I just wanna say to the women who chose this moment to come out for the very first time about your abuse — I cannot think of a more important, greater purpose in life than to stand in solidarity when time is against us, when the politicians have made us an enemy, when the world is watching and everybody is hoping for some type of result.

“Thank you for choosing this moment to be so brave, to come out and stand in solidarity.”

Massie says two votes short on Epstein discharge petition

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep. Thomas Massie who brought the Epstein discharge petition to release the files, says: “We’re two short. We need two more signers from the Republican side to get this through.”

He adds: “And none of them are stepping up to the plate… They’re at odds with our base right now, and particularly the MAGA base.”

Khanna praises Republican counterparts for work on Epstein files discharge petition

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:35 , Oliver O'Connell

At a gathering outside the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Ro Khanna says they still need two more votes to pass the discharge petition. There are 212 Democrats and 4 Republicans who have signed so far.

Khanna praised Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for their leadership on the issue.

He said: “We're of bringing this country together—progressives, independents, moderates, and MAGA supporters—to demand truth and justice. A nation that allows rich and powerful men to traffic and abuse young girls without consequences is a nation that has lost its moral core.”

Massie accuses DOJ of 'curating' Epstein files release, praises GOP women for signing discharge petition

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:42 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky says about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation: “The Washington establishment is asking the American public to believe something that isn't believable,” and accuses the Justice Department of “curating” the Epstein files for release.

“It's not a hoax,” he adds.

Massie notes that the only House GOP members to join his effort so far are women — Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Earlier on CNN, Massie claimed that the redactions are there to prevent the “embarrassment” of powerful people and are “hiding criminals.”

“I dont think the president is implicated,” he says, but adds that he thinks “friends and donors” are.

The Justice Department says the redactions are there to protect victims.

Massie says Speaker offered 'fig leaf' to GOP colleagues on Epstein files

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Rep Thomas Massie says Speaker Mike Johnson has offered his Republican colleagues a “fig leaf” regarding his discharge petition to release the Epstein files.

He told the gathering outside Capitol Hill: “The Speaker of the House just offered a fig leaf to my colleagues. They're gonna vote on a non-binding resolution today that does absolutely nothing ... they're allowing the DOJ to curate all of the information that the DOJ is giving them ... the perpetrators are being protected.”

Esptein survivor makes direct plea to Trump

Wednesday 3 September 2025 15:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein survivor Anouska de Georgiou tells the rally that there is only one reason for not signing onto the bill: “To be clear: The only motive for opposing this bill would be to conceal wrongdoing. You have a choice: stand with the truth or with the lies that have protected predators for decades.”

She also made a direct plea to the president: “I am no longer weak. I am no longer powerless. And I am no longer alone. And with your vote, neither will the next generation be. President Trump, you have so much influence and power in this situation. Please use that influence and power to help us.”

Greene says shame falls on people in power who protected Epstein

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of three Republican women who have signed on to Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna’s discharge petition to release the Epstein files, says: “The shame falls on the people in power that protected the monster Jeffrey Epstein and his cabal that continued a nightmare.”

She further said: “The truth needs to come out and the government holds the truth.”

Epstein victim says government knows more about her abuse than she does

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein victim Marina Lacerda, until today known as “minor victim one,” spoke at today’s rally after coming forward in an interview with ABC News.

"There are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do. The government is still in possession right now of the documents and information that could help me remember and get over all of this...I don't have any of it."

Full story: Epstein victim who helped put him behind bars breaks her silence

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:22 , Oliver O'Connell

A woman who helped put Jeffrey Epstein behind bars broke her silence after years - as other survivors have detailed plans to create their own "client list" of people involved in his heinous crimes.

Calls for increased transparency around the Epstein Files have grown since July, when the Justice Department released a memo stating no further disclosures were warranted and there was no evidence to support the existence of a "client list." That decision led to immediate backlash from both sides of the political aisle who demanded more information. On Tuesday, more files were released by Congress about the investigation. Today, victims are set to speak in Washington, D.C., about Epstein and the FBI handling of the case.

Now, for the first time, Marina Lacerda, who was named as an unidentified victim in the 2019 federal indictment against Epstein, has publicly joined those calls for more disclosure.

Kelly Rissman reports.

Epstein victim who helped indict him speaks out as others plan to make ‘client list’

'Systems meant to protect us recreate the abuse cycle'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein survivor Annie Farmer, speaking at today’s rally, observes: “When the systems meant to protect us recreate the abuse cycle, the betrayal that occurs can be just as damaging as the original trauma... We are not going to be quiet. We are not going to give up. And I ask the American public to stand with us.”

Republican Epstein survivor invites Trump for meeting

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Jeffrey Epstein survivor Haley Robson invited President Donald Trump to meet with her to understand that the Epstein files and investigation are not a hoax.

“Mr President Donald J Trump, I am a registered Republican — not that that matters, because this is not political. However, I cordially invite you to the Capitol to meet me in person so you can understand this is not a hoax.”

The president has repeatedly called the Epstein files issue a “hoax.”

Epstein's 'biggest brag' was his friendship with Trump, says survivor

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:37 , Oliver O'Connell

“The truth is, Epstein had a free pass. He bragged about his powerful friends, including our current President Donald Trump. It was his biggest brag, actually,” says Chauntae Davies, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein.

Earlier, she said that she was exposed to Epstein’s important circle of friends, talking about a framed photo of Trump on his desk, and a trip to Africa with former President Bill Clinton.

Survivors 'horrified' to learn of Maxwell's transfer to prison camp

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse say they were “horrified” to learn of Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer from federal prison in Florida to a lower security prison camp in Texas.

Annie Farmer emphasized that Maxwell was more than an accomplice to Epstein in procuring girls — she also participated in the abuse.

Anouska de Georgiou described Maxwell’s new facility as a “holiday camp” and also said that she had been present for some of the abuse for 10 years.

“This is not OK,” she said.

Survivors still fear retaliation

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein survivor Lisa Phillips said at both the rally and the press conference that the survivors will compile their own “client list.”

“We know the names. … Now, together as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know were regularly in the Epstein world. … Stay tuned for more details,” she said.

However, there is no plan to make the survivors’ list public for fear of retaliation from powerful people.

“Most of these individuals, the victims, are very scared to say these names, because they could get sued. They're going to get attacked, and nobody protected them the first time,” Attorney Brad Edwards said.

Greene says she will name names on behalf of victims

Wednesday 3 September 2025 16:55 , Oliver O'Connell

While the Epstein victims, speaking today at the press conference, say they have a list of names, they remain scared to make it public for fear of retribution.

MAGA firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said in her remarks that she will happily walk into the Capitol and, if given the list of names and permission from the victims, “I'll say every damn name that abused these women.”

Rep. Spartz says she need more information before deciding on discharge petition

Wednesday 3 September 2025 17:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, who has not signed on to the bipartisan discharge petition to release the Epstein files, but attended nearly the full presser with the late sex offender’s victims, told Scripps News that she still needs more info before deciding.

As Epstein victims invite Trump to meet with them, he calls case 'hoax'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 17:01 , Oliver O'Connell

While the victims of Jeffrey Epstein invited President Donald Trump to meet with them to understand that their allegations and the investigation into the late sex offender were not a “hoax,” at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, he called it that again.

While taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office, the president was asked by The Independent whether the Department of Justice was protecting any friends or donors.

Trump replied: “So this is a Democrat hoax that never ends. It reminds me a little of the Kennedy situation ... we should talk about the greatness of our country.”

“I think we're probably having, according to what I read, even from two people in this room, we're having the most successful eight months of any president ever. And that's what I want to talk about. That's what we should be talking about. Not the Epstein hoax.”

Epstein victim's brother implores Trump to 'do the right thing'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 17:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Sky Roberts, Virginia Giuffre’s brother, spoke with The Independent’s Eric Garcia about what he would say to President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson about releasing the Epstein files in full.

Roberts said: “I mean, I would say, do the right thing. I mean, that's the first thing that comes in mind for me. And this is far beyond, I mean, let's be very clear here that this is likely one of the biggest cover-ups. It is the biggest cover-up in the history of the United States. And I think it's time for us to stand with the people, it's time to stand with the survivors, and we need to tell them we believe you.”

Speaking about his sister, who died by suicide earlier this year, Roberts said: “I mean, she would be here today, she could, she would be one of the loudest up there and point fingers at people's faces and letting them know, you know what she really feels and stands for.”

Watch: Epstein survivor asks 'who is still being protected?'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 17:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Read President Donald Trump's full response today on the Epstein files release

Wednesday 3 September 2025 17:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg, The Independent’s White House correspondent, was in the Oval Office this morning and asked President Donald Trump whether, in its handling of the Epstein files and partial release, the Justice Department was protecting any friends of, or donors to, the current administration.

Here’s the president’s response in full:

“So this is a Democrat hoax that never ends. You know, it reminds me a little of the Kennedy situation. We gave them everything over and over again, more and more and more, and nobody's ever satisfied. From what I understand, I could check, but from what I understand, thousands of pages of documents have been given.

“But it's really a Democrat hoax, because they're trying to get people to talk about something that's totally irrelevant to the success that we've had as a nation since I’ve been President, even if you look at DC right now, DC, it's a totally safe zone. It's called a safe zone. That’s a, that’s a term, it's a term of art. It's a safe zone because it’s very safe. You can walk down the street now and nothing's going to happen, no crime, no murders, no nothing, because we had a lot of problems with certain places, and we still do, all run by Democrats, or for the most part, run by Democrats.

“So what they're trying to do with the Epstein hoax is get people to talk about that. Instead of speaking about the tremendous success, like ending seven wars. I ended seven wars, nobody's going to talk about because they're going to talk about the Epstein-whatever. I understand that we were subpoenaed to give files, and I understand we've given thousands of pages of files, and I know that no matter what you do, it's going to keep going.

“And I think it's, I think really, I think it's enough, because I think we should talk about the greatness of our country and the success that we're having, I think we're probably having, according to what I read, even from two people in this room, we're having the most successful eight months of any president ever. And that's what I want to talk about. That's what we should be talking about, not the Epstein hoax.”

Oversight Democrats decry release of 'already public' Epstein files

Wednesday 3 September 2025 17:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who sits on the House Oversight Committee, called for the release of the full Epstein files after last night’s partial release was almost entirely already public.

“Republicans want credit for ‘releasing’ parts of the Epstein files. But let’s be clear: those files were subpoenaed because of OUR work; most of what they put out yesterday was already public,” she wrote on X.

“The Trump administration is still hiding the truth. It’s time to release the full files and deliver real accountability for the victims.”

Epstein survivor responds to White House claim voting for discharge bill is 'hostile act'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Teresa Helm, an Epstein survivor, speaking to The Independent, responds to the White House telling Republicans that signing the discharge petition would be a “hostile” act: "Well, that's simply just not the case, because the hostility is in the crimes that have been committed against all of us. So there's not hostility in trying to protect ourselves, plus future generations, our own kids, and everyone.

“This is an issue that touches literally every single person here, because every single person here is either a survivor themselves, or knows someone that is or has children. So this affects everyone.”

'One thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on ... this isn’t a hoax'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat Congressman Herb Conaway of New Jersey, in reaction to President Donald Trump again calling the Epstein files case a “hoax,” says: “If there's one thing Democrats and Republicans can agree on, it's that this isn’t a hoax.”

Watch: Epstein survivor asks Trump to 'pass this bill and help us'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

'Give me a list': MTG warns Epstein clients she’ll ‘say every damn name’ on House floor

Wednesday 3 September 2025 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said the CIA, FBI and the Justice Department “holds the truth” on Jeffrey Epstein as she vowed to reveal “every damn name” of the purported high-powered clients of the late financier’s underage sex trafficking operation.

The Georgia representative, a Trump loyalist, dialed up the pressure on her own party by speaking at a news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, hosted by fellow rogue GOP Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California.

Greene has backed Massie’s “Epstein Files Transparency Bill,” along with fellow GOP congress members Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace. They were joined by as many as 100 survivors of Epstein’s abuse at the event.

Rhian Lubin reports.

MTG threatens to ‘say every damn name’ on House floor over Jeffrey Epstein clients

Watch: Epstein victims to put together own list of 'clients'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Full story: Trump bashes Epstein files as ‘Democrat hoax’ as Republicans rally nearby with sex trafficking victims

Wednesday 3 September 2025 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg reports:

President Donald Trump on Wednesday again slammed the bipartisan clamor for release of case files regarding deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a creation of his political enemies as members of both parties appeared with some of Epstein’s victims at a Capitol Hill press conference to call for transparency in the case.

Trump was addressing reporters in the Oval Office during a media availability alongside Polish president Karol Nawrocki when The Independent asked him about allegations that his Department of Justice is slow-walking compliance with a congressional subpoena for the documents and redacting them to protect powerful friends and Republican campaign donors.

Read on...

Trump bashes Epstein files as ‘hoax’ as Republicans rally with trafficking victims

Watch: Friendship with Trump was Epstein's 'biggest brag'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 19:45 , Oliver O'Connell

In their own words: What Epstein survivors say about opposition to full release of files

Wednesday 3 September 2025 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell
  • “To be clear: The only motive for opposing this bill would be to conceal wrongdoing. You have a choice: Stand with the truth or with the lies that have protected predators for decades.”
  • “The passage of this bill… is a huge component of healing for me and for the many other women who have suffered for so long… We are requesting transparency, and I am requesting every congressman and woman that goes against this bill be outed.”
  • “Congress must choose. Will you continue to protect predators, or will you finally protect survivors?”
  • “This is not a partisan issue. This is a crime… Could you be okay with a crime happening in your community to a thousand girls and young women and not holding the perpetrators accountable? I think not.”
  • “Passing this Epstein transparency bill is one important step that can be taken to prove to Americans that the government does not side with sexual perpetrators.”
  • “We need transparency. It's time for us to see beyond the curtain. Why was Jeffrey Epstein so protected? Who is still being protected?”

Epstein survivors decry Todd Blanche interview with Ghislaine Maxwell

Wednesday 3 September 2025 20:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein survivor Teresa Helm responded to a question from the press about Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, the transcript and audio of which were later made public.

Said Helm: “She got this airtime and platform. Her voice was elevated way before our voices were today.

“That same calm, manipulative voice that she had — so polite — there that day with Todd Blanche, was the same polite, coercive, manipulative voice that I heard as she was grooming me, to then send me off to the home of Jeffrey Epstein, where he would assault me.

“So that’s what she was doing for hours, speaking with me, building a relationship with me, building trust with me, allowing me to believe that I was going to get this job — a dream job, that I had been recruited for from my college, flown across the country from Los Angeles to New York City, to interview, so I thought.

“So, her voice that day was the same voice that sent me off to a monster, so… nothing can be believed from what she says, because she’s been charged with perjury … I sat there myself and listened to this woman’s voice, lie. And there was no pushback from Todd Blanche, because — does he even have the facts to be able to push back on?

“We can sit there and push back. Why didn’t we get to attend that? Why weren’t we there that day? Why wasn’t even one of us consulted prior to that day and that meeting? And why on earth has she been moved from Florida to her, basically, prison spa?”

Helm said she found out about the meeting between Blanche and Maxwell through the media.

“I’m very angry,” she added. “To sit there and listen, the feelings that come up, listening to this woman’s voice… It’s repulsive. Yes, I would say it’s triggering. We all worked very hard on healing, and it still gets to us, after two decades.”

Watch that moment:

The abuse victim who helped indict Jeffrey Epstein kept her identity secret for decades. Now she’s gone public

Wednesday 3 September 2025 20:34 , Oliver O'Connell

The woman credited with helping to indict Jeffrey Epstein has spoken out for the first time in the decades since she was first abused by the disgraced financier at age 14.

Marina Lacerda was part of a vast network of victims who were abused by Epstein as a teenager. Until now, she was identified as an unidentified minor victim in the 2019 federal indictment against the disgraced financier.

On Wednesday, she went public with her claims for the first time, 23 years after she first came into contact with the disgraced financier.

Kelly Rissman reports.

The Epstein abuse victim who kept identity secret for decades and has now gone public

Oversight document dump reveals missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video

Wednesday 3 September 2025 20:53 , Oliver O'Connell

One minute of missing surveillance footage from Jeffrey Epstein’s final hours before his suicide has surfaced in a new document dump on the late sex offender.

Conspiracy theories have swirled ever since observers spotted the mysterious 61-second gap in the 11 hours of “full raw” footage from inside New York City’s Metropolitan Correctional Center that the Justice Department and FBI released in early July.

A digital clock visible on the bottom left corner of the footage jumps from 11:58:58 p.m. on August 9, 2019, to 12:00:00 a.m. on August 10, 2019.

James Liddell reports.

Missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video revealed in document dump

Epstein victim says all survivors deserve 'love and support'

Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Epstein survivor Haley Robson spoke about the solidarity between the women who suffered abuse at the hands of the late sex offender.

“I came out in 2019 on the documentary Filthy Rich. I have been very focused on bringing more awareness to all of the survivors. I am so proud to stand with them.

“I am so proud to be up here to support them because they deserve all the love and support.

“And I just wanna say to the women who chose this moment to come out for the very first time about your abuse — I cannot think of a more important, greater purpose in life than to stand in solidarity when time is against us, when the politicians have made us an enemy, when the world is watching and everybody is hoping for some type of result.

“Thank you for choosing this moment to be so brave, to come out and stand in solidarity.”

House Oversight Democrats call for inspector general investigation into Maxwell prison transfer

Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are requesting the independent watchdog at the Department of Justice to investigate the prison transfer for Ghislaine Maxwell.

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse, who appeared at a rally and news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, said they were especially outraged by the transfer last month to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she gave interviews to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant and former girlfriend, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for grooming teenage girls for him to abuse. Epstein survivors also say she participated in some of the abuse.

In a letter to the acting inspector general at the Department of Justice, William Blier, the Democratic lawmakers state that “the public perception that Maxwell has received exceptionally favorable treatment in exchange for misleading testimony is profoundly disturbing and insulting to the victims of her crimes.”

Khanna praises Republican counterparts for work on Epstein files discharge petition

Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:31 , Oliver O'Connell

At a gathering outside the U.S. Capitol, Rep. Ro Khanna says they still need two more votes to pass the discharge petition. There are 212 Democrats and 4 Republicans who have signed so far.

Khanna praised Rep. Thomas Massie and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for their leadership on the issue.

He said: “We're of bringing this country together—progressives, independents, moderates, and MAGA supporters—to demand truth and justice. A nation that allows rich and powerful men to traffic and abuse young girls without consequences is a nation that has lost its moral core.”

Speaker Mike Johnson and Thomas Massie clash in behind-closed-doors meeting over Epstein vote

Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:40 , Oliver O'Connell

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Kentucky congressman Thomas Massie reportedly clashed on Wednesday during a closed-door meeting for Republicans, as the Speaker urged members not to support Massie’s bill to force the Trump administration to release the Epstein files.

The House leader instead urged his fellow GOP members to back the House Oversight Committee’s Epstein investigation, CNN reports, which on Tuesday released tens of thousands of files it subpoenaed from the Justice Department. Critics of that effort said most of the files were already public.

Josh Marcus has the story.

Mike Johnson and Thomas Massie clash in closed meeting with GOP over Epstein vote

Massie accuses DOJ of 'curating' Epstein files release, praises GOP women for signing discharge petition

Wednesday 3 September 2025 21:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky says about the Jeffrey Epstein investigation: “The Washington establishment is asking the American public to believe something that isn't believable,” and accuses the Justice Department of “curating” the Epstein files for release.

“It's not a hoax,” he adds.

Massie notes that the only House GOP members to join his effort so far are women — Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Earlier on CNN, Massie claimed that the redactions are there to prevent the “embarrassment” of powerful people and are “hiding criminals.”

“I dont think the president is implicated,” he says, but adds that he thinks “friends and donors” are.

The Justice Department says the redactions are there to protect victims.

Greene says shame falls on people in power who protected Epstein

Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of three Republican women who have signed on to Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna’s discharge petition to release the Epstein files, says: “The shame falls on the people in power that protected the monster Jeffrey Epstein and his cabal that continued a nightmare.”

She further said: “The truth needs to come out and the government holds the truth.”

ANALYSIS: Can Epstein’s survivors beat back Trump’s pressure campaign over ‘files’?

Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have engaged in a full-fledged push to garner the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender and sex trafficker — even as President Donald Trump pushes Republicans to oppose the move.

Numerous survivors of Epstein’s trafficking – which was facilitated by his close friend Ghislaine Maxwell – on Wednesday held a press conference on Capitol Hill with Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) as well as MAGA firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).

The press conference was called as Massie, an outspoken critic of the president, filed a discharge petition on Monday to release the Epstein files. If a majority of members sign the petition, it would force a full floor vote without going through committee or approval from leadership.

At the press conference, Massie criticized Trump for repeatedly calling the investigation a hoax, something he did from the Oval Office even as the survivors were rallying.

Read on...

Can Epstein’s survivors beat back Trump’s pressure campaign over ‘files’?

Epstein's 'biggest brag' was his friendship with Trump, says survivor

Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:28 , Oliver O'Connell

“The truth is, Epstein had a free pass. He bragged about his powerful friends, including our current President Donald Trump. It was his biggest brag, actually,” says Chauntae Davies, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein.

Earlier, she said that she was exposed to Epstein’s important circle of friends, talking about a framed photo of Trump on his desk, and a trip to Africa with former President Bill Clinton.

GOP refusing to release Epstein files, says Dem rep

Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:37 , Oliver O'Connell

California Democratic Rep Robert Garcia says Republicans in Congress have the power to release all of the Epstein files today, but are choosing not to do so.

ICYMI: Nancy Mace leaves Epstein victims’ testimony hearing in tears

Wednesday 3 September 2025 22:47 , Oliver O'Connell

South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace revealed she suffered a “full blown panic attack” after speaking to several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse.

Tears streamed down the Republican lawmaker’s face on Tuesday as she shuffled past reporters at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C, following her early departure from a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee briefing.

James Liddell reports.

Nancy Mace leaves Epstein victims’ testimony hearing in tears after ‘panic attack’

Missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video revealed

Wednesday 3 September 2025 23:06 , Oliver O'Connell

One minute of missing surveillance footage from Jeffrey Epstein’s final hours before his suicide has surfaced in a new document dump on the late sex offender.

Conspiracy theories have swirled ever since observers spotted the mysterious 61-second gap in the 11 hours of “full raw” footage from inside New York City’s Metropolitan Correctional Center that the Justice Department and FBI released in early July.

James Liddell has the story.

Missing minute in Jeffrey Epstein jail security video revealed in document dump

'Give me a list': MTG warns Epstein clients she’ll ‘say every damn name’ on House floor

Wednesday 3 September 2025 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said the CIA, FBI and the Justice Department “holds the truth” on Jeffrey Epstein as she vowed to reveal “every damn name” of the purported high-powered clients of the late financier’s underage sex trafficking operation.

The Georgia representative, a Trump loyalist, dialed up the pressure on her own party by speaking at a news conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, hosted by fellow rogue GOP Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California.

Greene has backed Massie’s “Epstein Files Transparency Bill,” along with fellow GOP congress members Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace. They were joined by as many as 100 survivors of Epstein’s abuse at the event.

Rhian Lubin and Eric Garcia report.

MTG threatens to ‘say every damn name’ on House floor over Jeffrey Epstein clients

'Democrat hoax': Trump bashes Epstein files and sex trafficking victims rally in DC

Thursday 4 September 2025 00:00 , Oliver O'Connell

President Donald Trump on Wednesday again slammed the bipartisan clamor for release of case files regarding deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a creation of his political enemies as members of both parties appeared with some of Epstein’s victims at a Capitol Hill press conference to call for transparency in the case.

Trump was addressing reporters in the Oval Office during a media availability alongside Polish president Karol Nawrocki when The Independent asked him about allegations that his Department of Justice is slow-walking compliance with a congressional subpoena for the documents and redacting them to protect powerful friends and Republican campaign donors.

Andrew Feinberg reports from the White House, and Eric Garcia reports from Capitol Hill.

Trump bashes Epstein files as ‘hoax’ as Republicans rally with trafficking victims

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website

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