House Republicans are dealing with a major problem as they face increasing pressure from their supporters to release documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Many of them are eager to get out of Washington before the usual August break, which starts in mid-July.
Making things harder for the GOP, Democrats tried to add an amendment about Epstein to a Trump administration funding bill in the House Rules Committee on Thursday. As reported by Politico, A similar attempt failed earlier in the week, but not before one Republican, Representative Ralph Norman, went against his party.
The worry among House Republicans has grown even more after Representative Thomas Massie, along with Representative Ro Khanna, proposed a bipartisan plan that would force a vote on releasing a wide range of Epstein-related documents. The rule would give Attorney General Pam Bondi 30 days to share these files, even if they could embarrass or harm the reputation of government officials, public figures, or foreign leaders. Under House rules, this plan could move forward after seven working days, meaning a vote could happen even if Republican leaders don’t want it.
An Epstein vote may be coming, and Republicans are terrified
This situation has caused a big split within the Republican Party. While many Trump supporters are very interested in the Epstein case, seeing it as proof of corruption among powerful political figures, the Trump administration has downplayed the issue. Attorney General Pam Bondi has said there is no real evidence of a “client list” or new important details, which has caused concern among Republicans.
A House Republican, also granted anonymity by Politico to speak candidly said, “People are like, ‘What the f*** is the president doing? People are freaking out,” and the issue is “only getting worse.”
NEW: House GOP leaders are under fierce internal pressure to send members home for the summer because of anxiety over a possible Epstein vote.
— Zach Warmbrodt (@Zachary) July 17, 2025
“It’s all Epstein, all day,” says one frustrated House Republican.@meredithllee @Reporter_Mia https://t.co/vlmH5KcGWd
President Trump himself tried to calm the situation, saying his supporters had believed in “bulls**t” completely, but this only made some Republicans more upset. The demand for the Justice Department to be more open about the Epstein case has gained support from both parties, with more House Republicans joining the push despite President Trump’s calls to drop the matter.
Lawmakers like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, Lauren Boebert, and Jeff Van Drew have publicly asked for more information, with some even suggesting a special investigation. Even House Speaker Mike Johnson, who supports Trump, has carefully agreed with those wanting transparency, saying, “We should put everything out there and let the people decide.”
The Epstein issue is still gaining attention, and Massie believes it will stay important through the summer. He compared it to how conservative Republicans pushed out former Speaker John Boehner ten years ago, leading to Boehner’s resignation after the summer break. This means the pressure from the Epstein case won’t just disappear if Congress leaves early, and it “can’t be swept under the rug.”
