"It is official conventional wisdom. Trump is retreating on Jeffrey Epstein. Or rather, Democrats led by Ro Khanna, survivors, and a handful of Republicans who could not give a fuck, starting with Tom Massie, forced Trump to retreat. Retreat. RETREAT!! Bill Kristol wrote. And they're laughing at the position it puts Mike Johnson in. (Well, not CNN. CNN pretends Johnson had a "strategy" on Epstein.)"
"President Trump's stunning reversal on the "Epstein files" discharge petition has undercut months of work by Speaker Mike Johnson. Why it matters: The Epstein issue has plagued the House since the summer. Now the speaker is about to suffer a clear defeat over Reps. Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna's (D-Calif.) discharge petition. Johnson cut the week short before the August recess after Democrats forced multiple votes on releasing the files. He then kept the House out of session for nearly two months - a move that, intentionally or not, delayed the discharge petition from reaching the floor."
""What I am opposed to is the reckless disregard that was used in drafting this discharge petition," Johnson told reporters on Wednesday. But on Sunday, Trump reversed months of calls to block an Epstein vote, saying Republicans should vote for it. On Monday, he said he'd sign the bill. Tuesday's vote is expected to pick up significant GOP support, including from Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP leadership."
President Trump reversed his previous stance and said Republicans should support a discharge petition to release the "Epstein files" and that he would sign the bill. The reversal undermines months of work by Speaker Mike Johnson and weakens Johnson's effort to block the vote. House Democrats and allies, including Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, pushed the discharge petition after prolonged disputes. Johnson cut the week short before the August recess and kept the House out of session for nearly two months, delaying the petition. The expected floor vote is likely to gain significant GOP support, including Rep. Lisa McClain.
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