House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is calling for "maximum transparency" on the topic of Jeffrey Epstein as President Donald Trump tries to quell fury among his supporters over the Justice Department's handling of the case.
"What I believe in is maximum transparency, and so does President Trump,” Johnson told CNBS's Squawk Box.
Trump has sharply criticized members of his base who remain fixated on the case, calling them "weaklings" who are helping Democrats push a "hoax."
The drama erupted after the DOJ officially concluded that Epstein, a notorious pedophile and wealthy financier, did not keep a secret client list and that he died by suicide in his prison cell.
With the MAGA movement in an uproar, Johnson is considering a legislative measure mandating the release of additional information in a way that protects the identities of victims, The Hill reported. That would differ from a Democratic amendment that Republicans shot down, which called for the full release of the materials.
“The House Republicans are for transparency and they’re looking for a way to say that,” Johnson told The Hill.
After several days of dismissing the controversy, Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury materials from a court in New York.
"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!" Trump wrote.
Trump sued the Wall Street Journal on Friday after it published a purported "birthday letter" from Trump to Epstein that included what was intended to represent a dialogue between the two men as well as a drawing of a nude woman.
The alleged birthday message concludes: “Happy Birthday -- and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Trump said that the letter is fake and clearly not written in his style. Some say that the Wall Street Journal, with its decision to publish the story, may have partially defused the divide between Trump and some of his supporters, many of whom see the Journal's report as part of an old playbook to smear Trump with outlandish claims.
“If there was a ‘smoking gun’ on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the ‘files’ for four years, and had Garland and Comey in charge, use it? BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!” Trump wrote Friday.
Johnson echoed Trump's response to the Wall Street Journal's "absurd" reporting.
“The president and I talked about that ridiculous allegation this morning. He said it’s patently absurd. He’s never drawn such a picture. He’s never thought of drawing such a picture. And he said, ‘Did you see the language of this bogus supposed communication?’” Johnson said.
