House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that Republicans want "maximum transparency" on the Epstein files, but stressed that they have a "dual responsibility" to protect the innocent victims of disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein's "unspeakable sex crimes."
"I've been on record very clearly that I believe in maximum transparency," Johnson said Tuesday morning at the House GOP leadership press conference. "I think every single House Republican will say the same thing. In fact, they've told me that publicly and privately — they talk about this. We want maximum transparency.
"We also understand the other part of that duty is we have to protect innocent victims, OK?" he said. "We have to do both things at the same time. What do we mean by that? Look, involved in the Epstein evil — which is what it was, just call it what it was — there are innocent victims of those unspeakable sex crimes — some of them were minors, some of them were not.
"When the Epstein records are turned over to the public, which we must do as quickly as possible, we have to also be very judicious and careful about protecting the innocent," Johnson added.
All Americans should "understand the necessity" of protecting the victims, the speaker said, and pointed out that "it's the standard," not only "in the courts" and "in law enforcement" but also "with government agencies."
"We cannot be careless, and, in an open release like that, you have to be very careful," Johnson stressed.
He also said President Donald Trump is committed to providing the American people with as much information about the convicted sex trafficker's crimes as possible.
"The president himself has said that he wants maximum transparency and all credible evidence to be turned over to the American public so that everyone can make their own decisions," Johnson said. "We're owed that. And we want any individual who has been involved in any way in the Epstein evils to be brought to justice as quickly as possible."
Trump has received scathing criticism from his MAGA base in recent weeks over his administration's handling of the Epstein files, after Attorney General Pam Bondi walked back her initial pledge to release the records, including Epstein's client list and flight logs, which she claimed were on her desk.
In a joint memo earlier this month, the FBI and the Justice Department said there was no evidence to support several long-held conspiracy theories about Epstein's 2019 death in federal prison and his alleged clientele.
Politico reported Monday that the House won't vote this week on a resolution to release all the government files on Epstein and Punchbowl News reported Tuesday that the chamber floor is "paralyzed over the Epstein case" before the planned August recess.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.