Johnson shuts door on House vote before September on releasing Epstein files

Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday said he does not plan to allow votes on any measures related to the Jeffrey Epstein case in the House’s final week in Washington before a weekslong recess, despite intense pressure from some of his own GOP members to go on the record on the issue.

Some of President Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters in Congress have been pressing party leaders to allow for a vote to show they support transparency around the Epstein saga — an issue that continues to animate the MAGA base even as Trump has repeatedly sought to blame Democrats for fanning the flames.

The House forcing the Trump administration to turn over materials against its will would represent a remarkable rebuke of the president by his base. But the push has shown little forward momentum among the party’s leadership on Capitol Hill.Johnson told CNN on Monday the full House would not vote on a pending measure from members of his own party – a non-binding resolution calling for the release of additional Epstein files – before the chamber’s August recess, which is slated to begin at week’s end.

“My belief is we need the administration to have the space to do what it is doing, and if further congressional action is necessary or appropriate, then we’ll look at that, but I don’t think we’re at that point right now, because we agree with the president,” he said.