American media reports that the Republican Party is facing division, with close allies of Trump demanding the release of the “Epstein list.”

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] Following the announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice that it would no longer disclose documents related to Epstein’s case, the Republican Party is facing unprecedented division. According to a report by The Washington Post on the 15th, House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly expressed his support for disclosing the relevant documents of Epstein’s case, “rarely” disagreeing with President Trump. In response, Trump shifted his previous opposition attitude on the 15th and issued a statement saying that if there were “credible” evidence about Epstein and his sexual exploitation network, these should be made public.
In an episode of a conservative podcast, Johnson stated: “We should make all information public so that the public can judge.” When asked about several Republican congressmen calling for action on releasing more documents related to Epstein’s case, Johnson said he supports increasing transparency in the event. It was reported earlier this year that Attorney General Pam Bondi hinted in an interview that she would release the “customer list” of Epstein’s Little Island, which has since been denied.
The Washington Post mentioned that Johnson has always been Trump’s close ally, having never openly diverged from the president before. His latest remarks indicate that the intense debate surrounding Epstein’s case has not yet ended. CNN analyzed that Johnson is facing internal pressure within the Republican Party.
The Hill reported that in response to external criticisms of Bondi, Trump urged his supporters not to discuss Epstein’s case anymore. On the 15th earlier, Trump said that the documents related to Epstein’s case were “fabricated” by Democrats and that Bondi handled it “very well.” Many Trump supporters had previously believed that once Trump returned to the White House, “the hidden documents of Epstein’s case” would be made public.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party is preventing a procedural motion proposed by the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives this week, which would have allowed the House to vote on whether to disclose the aforementioned documents. CNN noted that House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on the 14th, “The American people should know the truth.” (Zhou Yang)