Rep. Thomas Massie, r-ky., And ro khanna, d-calif., Who are work together to push The Trump administration to publish federal files linked to Jeffrey Epstein, did not agree on Sunday to find out if President Donald Trump should forgive Epstein’s long -standing partner, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Massie told NBC News “Meet the Press” during a joint interview with Khanna that “everything they have to do to force [Maxwell’s] Testimony, as long as it is true, I would be in favor. »»
Khanna, on the other hand, said: “No, I don’t believe” that Maxwell should be forgiven or have her commutted sentence and that he is “worried” that she met the Sub-Crocureur General Toudd Blanche last week.
“Listen, I agree with the Massie Congress member that she should testify, but she was charged twice on perjury. That is why we need the files,” added Khanna.
Maxwell, a long -standing partner in Epstein, was sentenced Federal accusations of sex trafficking in 2021. The same year, she was accused of make several false statements under oath. Blanche interviewed Maxwell for two days last week in the midst of croissants for Trump administration to publish non -classified files linked to Epstein.
Friday, the president Tell to journalists Asked about Maxwell’s forgiveness: “I am allowed to do it, but it is something that I have not thought of.”
In a separate interview on Sunday, President Mike Johnson, R-La., Said he would rely on the president to find out if Maxwell should be pardoned, saying “meet the press” the moderator Kristen Welker, “I will not be in front of him. It is not my way”.
Johnson added later: “If you ask for my opinion, I think that 20 years old was a bite of bread. I think she should have a perpetuity sentence at least. I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes, and as you noted earlier, probably 1000 victims. I mean, you know, it’s, it’s difficult to put in words how bad it was.”
Trump has also weighed on Epstein files in recent weeks, Write in an article on social truth that he ordered the Attorney General Pam Bondi “to produce all the relevant testimonies of the Grand Jury, subject to the approval of the court”.
Bondi and white afterwards filed a request Ask a judge to provide files related to Epstein and Maxwell in a Manhattan Federal Court.
A federal judge in Florida last week refused a separate request from the Ministry of Justice To release the federal transcriptions of the Grand Jury in connection with an investigation into Epstein there.
Khanna and Massie – A bipartite duo – have joined forces to co -support a bill that would force the Trump administration to publish “all non -classified records” on Epstein.
“Politics is the art of feasible,” said Massie on Sunday. “There is enough public pressure right now so that we can get 218 votes and force this to vote on the prosecution.”
Nearly a dozen of his conservative house colleagues have sign To support the joint measure of Massie with Khanna, with certain Democrats, including representatives Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., And Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Dn.y., also signed.
Last week, Johnson, Envoy for home house legislators From Washington, a day earlier for their summer recess after the Democrats on the powerful rules of rules planned to force their republican colleagues to take votes related to Epstein files.
Massie accused Johnson on Sunday of having returned the legislators home to avoid “political pain” for the Republicans who could be forced to vote on the advisability of publishing the Epstein files.
“Why is it painful for Mike Johnson to call a vote on this subject?” The Kentucky Congress member said. “The American people deserves this, whatever the political ramifications for the president.”
In an exclusive interview “Meet The Press” later Sunday, Johnson denied having sent the legislators to the house early, accusing the Democrats of “diverting” the rules of the rules.
“What we have done this week is putting an end to chaos in the rules committee, because the Democrats are trying to use it shamelessly for political purposes. Obviously, they diverted the rules committee and tried to transform it into an Epstein audience,” said Johnson. “This is not the subject of the rules committee. This is why the ground votes ended on Wednesday instead of Thursday.”
Several officials of the Ministry of Justice have declared that a release of the files that Khanna and Massie grow is not possible without harming the alleged victims of Epstein and Epstein.
Johnson echoed this argument in his Sunday interview, saying: “The Republicans of the Chamber insist on the publication of all credible evidence and information related to Epstein in any way, but we also insist on the protection of innocent victims. And our concern is that the Massie and Khanna discharge petition is not reckless.
Earlier Sunday, Massie called this argument a “straw man”.
“RO and I have carefully drawn up this legislation so that the names of the victims are expared and that no juvenile pornography will be released,” said Massie, adding that those responsible for the Ministry of Justice “are hiding behind this”.
“We are trying to obtain justice for the victims and transparency for America,” added Massie. “And so, we have already expurred things. We don’t want to hurt the victims. We do this for the victims.”
Massie recently wraised President Donald Trump and his allies after He opposed vocally A massive set of domestic policy of the GOP that the Republicans of the Chamber adopted last month, which showed concern about the way the measure would affect national debt.
Earlier this year, two key advisers to the president launched a great heat This has already spent more than a million dollars for advertisements targeting Massie in its district, according to Adimpact, in order to prevent its re -election in Congress next year.
On Sunday, Khanna even defended Massie, congratulating the Kentucky Republican for resisting Trump, despite the political winds he created for him.
“The only person who suffered from political pain in all of this is the member of the Congress Thomas Massie for having told the truth,” Khanna told Welker. “He has the whole team of the president who re -elected the president re -elected to him in his district, and that makes him stronger.”
Khanna also addressed the political implications of this moment for her own party before the mid-term elections of 2026, where the Democrats hope to return the Chamber and the Senate to gain control of the Congress.
“Look, my main conviction is a new economic patriotism to reindustrialize America, a Marshall plan of the 21st century for America – Medicare for all, opposing the Medicaid cuts,” Khanna told Welker. “But you can’t do anything constructive with the government if you do not trust the government. It is about confidence in the government.”
Khanna is widely considered a potential presidential candidate in 2028 and is already Travel through the country And addressing voters outside of Washington and its original California state.
Massie has also framed any failure to publish files related to Epstein as a farm in her own party before next year elections.
“This will injure the Republicans halfway through. Voters will be apathetic if we do not hold the rich and powerful responsible,” he said.
“I think that when we come back, we can get the necessary signatures to force this on the ground,” added Massie, saying that Johnson “would have the choice” after that.
“Will he try to change the rules of the House of Representatives in the middle or not? If he does it, it becomes the vote for the American people,” added the member of the Kentucky Congress.
