The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., seen on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Many Republicans want the Epstein issue to disappear. But there’s a cohort of conservative House Republicans – well tapped into the MAGA base – who are apoplectic that the Trump administration hasn’t coughed up the files. That group of lawmakers represents a core component of the Trump coalition which prevailed last year. And it’s growing more disaffected by the day.
"I don't think this issue is going away over August," said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. "You don't lose your base over one single thing. But [President Donald Trump] is eroding his base. More importantly, if we don't take the right side of this issue, it's going to cost us votes in the midterms. People are becoming despondent. They're apathetic."
Massie teamed several weeks ago with Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., to compel the House to vote to demand the release of the files. But that measure doesn’t ripen until late this week. But if the House isn’t in session…
MARK GREEN RESIGNS FROM CONGRESS, FURTHER SHRINKING HOUSE GOP MAJORITY
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said he doesn't understand Thomas Massie's motivations for pressing the Epstein issue. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
But the House didn’t convene for votes as scheduled on Thursday. And even some Republicans weren’t buying Johnson’s argument.
"I guess we're getting tired of these two-hour work weeks up here," complained Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. "I'm sick of it. I came here to work."
But the impasse over the Epstein files forced the House to scrap a bill by Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., to bolster penalties against persons who enter the U.S. illegally and are deported – and then try to come back. That’s one of the reasons the House cashed out Thursday from the schedule.
"I want to get some of these issues put to bed. Certainly the Epstein one seems to be the topic du jour. We’ve got to get past that," said Bice. "We have to come to some sort of resolution. Sooner rather than later. We cannot let this drag on."
But with the House done, that subject – which should be a layup for House Republicans – will remain in abeyance until after the recess.
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., didn’t mind the House cutting town early.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., arrives for the House Republican Conference caucus meeting in the Capitol on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
In fact, as the House tried to take its last votes until September, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Penn., sprang a vote on the House Oversight Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement, requiring a subpoena of the Epstein files.
"I expect my Republican colleagues to care about this because their constituents certainly care about child sex trafficking, whether it's through the immigration system like this hearing alleges, or by a U.S. citizen facilitating other powerful U.S. citizens. It's time for them to prove it right now," said Lee.
The Pennsylvania Democrat could read the room. Conservative Republicans interested in the Epstein files comprised the membership of the panel: Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., is the subcommittee chairman. Reps. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Brian Jack, R-Ga.; Nancy Mace, R-S.C.; Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; and Scott Perry, R-Penn., made up the rest of the GOP roster.
House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks to reporters at a press conference following a House Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol Building on July 18, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"We have nine or ten committees working through, markups this week. Many tomorrow," said Johnson on Wednesday.
"We're going to have committee meetings through Thursday. And there's still a lot of work being done," said Scalise. "Most members know that the work of Congress is mostly done in committee."
But not this time.
Granted, the House Oversight Committee took closed-door testimony from former Biden administration Chief of Staff Ron Klain about President Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities. But that was about it for the House.
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"Today marks the first day of the House embarking on their Epstein recess," declared Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. "And already the story Republicans hoped would quietly fade is growing louder by the hour."
"It's going to keep percolating," predicted Khanna. "This is just breathing more life."
August is often a news vacuum. And so something has to fill the void. The Epstein files could be it.
And that only fuels the summer of discontent.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/epstein-files-divide-house-republicans-growing-summer-discontent