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On September 5, 2025, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) intensified his feud with President Donald Trump, alleging that the Justice Department is suppressing Jeffrey Epstein’s investigative files to protect prominent Republican donors named in the disgraced financier’s “little black book.”
In a Newsmax interview on Rob Schmitt Tonight, Massie claimed that billionaire donors, including financier John Paulson, are shielded by redactions in the Epstein files, fueling accusations of a cover-up by Trump’s administration.
The Daily Beast reported that Massie’s push for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), has secured 216 signatures for a discharge petition, needing just two more to force a House vote.
The controversy, which has sparked a MAGA backlash, underscores deep GOP divisions as Trump faces pressure over his past ties to Epstein and broader challenges like economic woes and a looming government shutdown.
Massie’s Allegations and the Epstein Files Push
Massie told Newsmax that the DOJ is “curating and redacting” the Epstein files to spare “billionaire donors” embarrassment, specifically naming John Paulson, a major GOP donor who hosted Trump’s record-setting $50.5 million Palm Beach fundraiser in April 2025.
“It’s three billionaires, two hedge fund managers, one of them is in Epstein’s black book,” Massie said, also naming Paul Singer and Miriam Adelson as funding $2 million in ads against him.
He clarified that he was not alleging criminality by Paulson, only that his name appears in the files.
Paulson’s spokesperson denied any connection, stating, “If John Paulson is in Epstein’s black book, it’s news to him… This is a weak attempt to imply a relationship… that never existed.”
Massie and Khanna’s Epstein Files Transparency Act aims to force the DOJ to release all documents in a searchable format, with exceptions only for victims’ identifiable information.
Khanna told Democracy Now! that their discharge petition has 216 signatures, needing 218 to bypass GOP leadership and force a vote.
The House Oversight Committee released 33,000 pages of files on September 2, but most were redacted or previously public, intensifying cover-up claims.
Massie criticized a GOP-led resolution for further investigation as a “placebo” to stall progress.
Trump’s Ties to Epstein and MAGA Backlash
Trump, who was friends with Epstein for over a decade, has faced scrutiny over his refusal to release the files, despite a 2024 campaign promise.
In 2002, he told New York Magazine, “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy.”
Flight logs from Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 trial show Trump flew on Epstein’s jet seven times between 1993 and 1997, per The New York Times.
Trump acknowledged in July 2025 that Epstein “poached” 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre from Mar-a-Lago, but denied wrongdoing.
A July 7 DOJ and FBI memo stated no “client list” exists and confirmed Epstein’s 2019 suicide, drawing ire from MAGA supporters like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Elon Musk, who demanded a special counsel.
A Quinnipiac poll showed 83% of Republicans want the files released, with 36% disapproving of Trump’s handling.
The controversy has fractured the GOP.
Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) accused Republicans of protecting “pedophiles” by resisting the vote.
Four Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, and Lauren Boebert, have signed the petition.
Trump, who called Massie the “worst Republican Congressman” on Truth Social, has vowed to “lead the charge” against him, with pro-Trump donors funding ads in Kentucky.
What This Means For The Trump Administration
The Epstein saga compounds Trump’s challenges.
His approval rating stands at 39% amid tariff-driven inflation and a weak jobs report, per CNN.
A potential government shutdown also looms over a $4.95 billion pocket rescission.
Economic growth slowed to 1.2% in 2025, with 2.8% core inflation and a 4.2% unemployment rate, per ABC News and Forbes reports.
Trump’s health concerns and policies like D.C.’s death penalty push add to the pressure.
Massie’s accusations and the bipartisan push for transparency threaten Trump’s grip on the GOP.
The Epstein files, including a birthday book with a reported Trump note, could intensify speculation about his ties.
As the 2026 midterms near, the controversy, coupled with economic woes, could erode Trump’s base, with MAGA infighting and donor backlash shaping the political landscape.
Also Read: GOP Members Now Believe Trump Is Named First In The Epstein Files
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Randros 
What is going to drive the midterm elections is voting out incumbents that are compromised by the Zionists, which is almost everyone, and voting in anyone or any party that is sworn anti-Israel. Right now I would vote for the Hells Angel party or the KKK. Best bet is any US citizen that is of Palestinian decent.
of course he is when and if he remembers who they are.