Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) mentioned receiving considerable pressure from the White House regarding a discharge petition. This petition aims to compel the release of all documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender linked to a prominent financier.
“I’ve had quite a bit of pushback on this. After a call last night, I was told not to sign the petition. The focus seems to be shifting toward surveillance investigations,” Greene explained.
Despite her past disagreements with certain administration views, she expressed that she would attribute some blame to staff rather than the president himself. “You know, Eric, the President tends to be somewhat insulated, relying heavily on those around him,” Greene stated.
The Georgia Republican is among a group of four House GOP members supporting the petition initiated by Rep. Thomas Massey (R-KY). On Wednesday, she encouraged Trump to meet with Epstein survivors at the White House, saying, “I want him to be a hero in this situation. He’s a fighter, and I want him to stand up for these women.”
Trump, however, dismissed the calls to release documents about Epstein, asserting it was a distraction from the administration’s accomplishments. “This is just a Democrat hoax. They’ve focused on issues that have nothing to do with our successes since I took office,” he declared.
He argued, “It’s not a hoax—Epstein is a convicted pedophile. That entire narrative crumbles when you consider the facts. It’s not a hoax.”
Meanwhile, lawmakers hosted Epstein’s victims on Capitol Hill, advocating for Congress to take action. Several accusers addressed the House Observation and Government Reform Committee, which is conducting its own inquiry into the Epstein case. This occurred behind closed doors for over two hours on Tuesday.
House GOP leaders have advised members against signing the petitions supported by a few Republican lawmakers who are calling for more oversight. The committee has released numerous documents from the Department of Justice following a subpoena for Epstein-related materials, though Democrats on the panel noted that many of these files have been made public already.
White House officials suggested that supporting Massey’s initiative and cooperating with liberal Democrats could be seen as antagonistic toward the administration. They emphasized that the DOJ backs more extensive file releases from the oversight committee. Greene pushed back, asserting, “Every Republican should support this. The only fear is about signing because of how it might be perceived by certain Trump administration officials.” She added, “I’m dedicated to fighting for this cause; it’s crucial for me.”
