We have breaking news right now. President Donald Trump and senior administration officials are reportedly scrambling as a congressional effort to release Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein nears a critical milestone. According to CNN, top officials were preparing to meet Wednesday to discuss how to respond if a House discharge petition reaches the 218 signatures required to force a vote on the matter.
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CNN reported that the meeting was expected to include Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado. Boebert has been one of the most vocal Republicans pushing for the release of the Epstein case files and has already signed onto the House petition to compel a public vote.
In addition, according to additional reports from the New York Times, President Trump has been calling Boebert and Representative Nancy Mace repeatedly, attempting to persuade them to withdraw their support from the effort. Nancy Mace has not responded to his calls, but has said publicly she will not flip.
Boebert’s office has not issued a public comment.
The growing concern within the administration comes as the House Oversight Committee released new documents obtained from Epstein’s estate earlier Wednesday. The release reignited public attention on Epstein’s network of powerful associates, which includes the president.
President Trump has not been accused of any crimes related to Epstein. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate and a convicted child sex trafficker, said in an interview earlier this year that she had never witnessed Trump engage in any wrongdoing. But, she also said that Trump was never in Epstein’s house. That has now turned out not to be true.
On Capitol Hill, the push for transparency has gained bipartisan support. Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Ro Khanna of California are leading the initiative, joined by Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Nancy Mace. Representative Adelita Grijalva is expected to become the 218th signatory, which would allow the petition to move forward despite opposition from House leadership.
The outcome remains uncertain. If any member, including Boebert, removes their signature, the petition would lose the majority needed to proceed.
If successful, the release of the Justice Department’s Epstein files could provide new insight into years of investigation into a sprawling child sex trafficking operation. It could also reveal information that Congress has not yet obtained, deepening the political tension surrounding one of the most sensitive issues facing the Trump administration.