Jeffries, Dems zero in on GOP over Epstein files and Trump flip‑flop: ‘What are they hiding?’

Democrats seize GOP flip-flop on Epstein to highlight hypocrisy, boost midterm momentum.

“Sordid… Scandalous. Corrupt.” 

House of Representatives Democratic Leader U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is on the offensive over the Epstein files.

After President Donald Trump and Republicans did a rhetorical about-face on releasing the files, many of their right-leaning supporters are angry—and it’s created an opening for Democrats to slam GOP leaders and share their message.

“I support transparency,” Jeffries said at a recent press conference. “The far right, Donald Trump, right-wing conspiracy theorists, and others are the ones who have put this Jeffrey Epstein thing in the public domain. This isn’t anything that any of us as House Democrats have been focused on, ever, in terms of trying to fan the flames.”

Jeffries continued, “But once it has broken into the public domain, and there’s a clear desire on behalf of the American people to get more information, then the right thing to do is to present the facts and the evidence.”

Dems are putting real money behind creating pressure to reveal those very facts and evidence, launching Epstein-focused attack ads in areas where Republican members of Congress could lose in the 2026 midterm elections.

The ads urge voters to “call your representative” and “demand they release the Epstein files,” knowing good and well it puts those representatives in a hard place.

President Trump has categorically told people to move on from Epstein, and insider reports say he’s raging mad that his base won’t let it go.

“Are people still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?” Trump asked at a recent press conference, seated next to his attorney general, Pam Bondi. “This guy’s been talked about for years … this creep? That is unbelievable.”

At a press conference in the UK on Monday, President Trump tried to distance himself further from Epstein, saying the two fell out long ago over business reasons and that, although Epstein invited him to his private island, Trump never went.

Will that explanation satisfy a base who has been riled up about the Epstein controversy for years and wants hard proof that elite and wealthy sex-ring clients haven’t been let off the hook?

Politically, any Republican who doesn’t fall in line with Trump’s orders risks committing party treason in the eyes of the president.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who once called for transparency around the Epstein files, just fell in line himself by shutting down the House of Representatives early to avoid a vote on anything Epstein-related, and to quell some brewing rebellion from his own party members who were enraged over the files being withheld.

Johnson said the topic of Epstein was nothing more than Democrats pushing it for strategic advantage.

However, with the oratorical skills of a Democrat like U.S. Senator Cory Booker all over the issue (“Why wouldn’t we want to just know what happened? What are you afraid of?” he asked passionately during a recent Senate committee hearing which devolved into a yelling match), Republicans risk looking unprepared to answer why their party is not also on board with full transparency around the files.

Only one Republican is bold enough to partner with a Democrat in leading the demand for the files’ release—Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who has proposed an amendment with Democrat Rep. Ro Khanna of California, to force a full House vote on whether the Justice Department should release all of the Epstein documents, with protections for victims.

“Trump promised that his administration would release the Epstein files to the public,” said Rep. Khanna. “Now, the Department of Justice is shielding Trump’s rich and powerful friends by refusing to release additional files.”

While the Epstein scandal is certainly useful for Democrats looking to sow distrust in the Trump administration, the real strength will be in Democrats’ ability to create a throughline between Trump’s hypocrisy on Epstein and his hypocrisy in other aspects of his administration—like the Big Beautiful Bill.

Democrats may note that while Trump promised to cut waste and fraud, he has instead set up many Americans to be kicked off their health care and lose Medicaid, while giving his richest voters a tax cut that only widens the wealth gap.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 10 million Americans will lose health care, and the country will add a deficit of $3.4 trillion as a result of the newly signed tax and budget law.

The scandal is useful as long as Democrats can bring it back home to kitchen table issues—to highlight the impact of the Trump administration’s lack of transparency on all fronts while explaining their alternative vision for America.

Jeffries had it right during the press conference when he was first asked if he would focus on Epstein during the midterms as Democrats try to take back the majority.

“I think we’re gonna focus on building an affordable economy, so we can ensure that we drop the cost of living for everyday Americans,” he responded.

“So they’re in a position to thrive, not simply survive.”