GOP Congressman UNLEASHES—Calls Trump the “Epstein Administration”

A Kentucky Republican congressman ignited a political firestorm by branding the Trump administration with a label no ally would dare utter, fracturing GOP unity at a moment when transparency over one of America’s most notorious criminal cases hangs in the balance.

Story Snapshot

Rep. Thomas Massie called the Trump administration the “Epstein administration” during a February 15, 2026 ABC News interview, criticizing Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein file releases.
Massie accused the DOJ of protecting an “Epstein class” of billionaires by redacting elite names while exposing victims in over 3 million pages of documents released after his legislative push.
The congressman declared he has no confidence in Bondi as attorney general, calling her “cold” and unwilling to face Epstein survivors during a contentious House Judiciary Committee hearing days earlier.
President Trump defended Bondi as “fantastic,” setting up a rare intra-party clash between a sitting Republican administration and a libertarian-leaning GOP member demanding full transparency.

The Hearing That Sparked a Republican Civil War

The House Judiciary Committee hearing on February 11, 2026 became a crucible for tensions simmering beneath the surface of Republican unity. Attorney General Pam Bondi faced withering bipartisan criticism over redactions in the massive Epstein document dump, with survivors seated in the room as silent witnesses to bureaucratic stonewalling. Massie challenged Bondi directly on redacted names, and within 40 minutes, the DOJ suddenly unredacted identities they had previously shielded. Bondi refused to turn and face the survivors, a decision Massie later characterized as cowardice, deepening his conviction that powerful interests were being protected at the expense of justice for victims.

Why Massie Chose Nuclear Language Against His Own Party

Massie’s “Epstein administration” label was no slip of the tongue. The congressman pointed to past social connections between Trump and Epstein, including dinners in New York and Palm Beach, to justify his provocative framing. He accused the current administration of surrounding itself with billionaires linked to Epstein’s orbit, creating what he termed an “Epstein class” wielding undue influence over Washington. Massie clarified he made no criminal accusations against Trump himself, but insisted the pattern of associations and resistance to full file disclosure warranted the harsh description. His language represents a calculated gamble to force action through public pressure, even at the cost of becoming a pariah within GOP circles.

The Documents At the Center of the Storm

The DOJ released over 3 million pages of Epstein-related documents following Massie’s Epstein Files Transparency Act, but the congressman argues the job remains incomplete. He demands internal DOJ memos and emails explaining why certain figures escaped prosecution, including billionaire Leslie Wexner, whom a 2019 U.S. attorney statement declared was never a target or co-conspirator. Massie wants answers about the 2008 Florida non-prosecution deal that let Epstein off with minimal consequences for years of alleged trafficking. Deputy AG Todd Blanch accused Massie of improper unmasking on February 13, but Massie countered that Blanch’s office had already unredacted the same names, exposing the accusation as deflection from the real issue of selective transparency.

Bondi’s Defense and the Trump Loyalty Test

Pam Bondi defended her handling of the releases as balancing transparency with victim privacy and ongoing prosecutorial discretion. She pushed back against claims that elites received favorable redactions, arguing the volume of pages released demonstrated commitment to sunlight. Trump stood by his attorney general, calling her performance “fantastic,” a signal to Republicans that attacking Bondi means breaking with the president. This creates a loyalty test for GOP members: stand with Trump and accept the pace of releases, or join Massie in demanding more and risk being labeled disloyal. The dynamic mirrors broader tensions within the party between populist demands for accountability and establishment preferences for controlled information flow.

What Survivors and Advocates Are Saying

Epstein survivors attended the hearing seeking accountability, only to watch Bondi refuse direct engagement. Their presence underscored the human cost of bureaucratic delays and redactions that prioritize powerful reputations over victim vindication. Advocates argue that every day without full disclosure extends the trauma for women who suffered under Epstein’s network and were failed by a justice system that cut sweetheart deals. Massie positioned himself as their champion, framing his fight as one for the powerless against a billionaire class accustomed to evading consequences. Whether his tactics prove effective or alienate potential allies remains the central political question as pressure mounts for additional document releases.

The Political Fallout and What Comes Next

Massie’s comments expose fractures within the Republican coalition, with libertarian-leaning members increasingly willing to break with Trump on issues of transparency and elite accountability. ABC contributor Faiz Shakir noted that Republicans are “peeling off” from Trump on multiple fronts, including tariffs and the Epstein file controversy, suggesting a broader erosion of unified support. Short-term, Massie faces political attacks from what he calls the “Epstein class,” wealthy donors uncomfortable with his crusade. Long-term, his stance could empower survivor advocacy and shift public expectations for how DOJ handles cases involving powerful figures. The unresolved dispute over internal memos and the remaining redacted files ensures this controversy will continue dominating headlines, testing whether a sitting administration can withstand pressure from within its own party for uncomfortable truths.