Democrat Ro Khanna, GOP Team Up To Pressure Trump Admin To Release Epstein Files

Last Updated:September 15, 2025, 16:47 IST

Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie lead a bipartisan push in Congress to force DOJ under Pam Bondi to release all unclassified Jeffrey Epstein files

US Congressman Ro Khanna. (AP file photo)

US Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) has teamed up with Republican lawmakers in a rare bipartisan push to compel President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender whose case continues to draw national scrutiny.

As reported by The Hill, Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are leading a discharge petition in the House of Representatives that aims to force a vote on legislation directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to make all Epstein-related DOJ records public.

The petition is currently just one signature away from the 218 needed to trigger a vote.

This effort comes amid growing dissatisfaction within both parties over the Trump administration’s reluctance to release the files.

Despite calls from MAGA activists and some conservative lawmakers, Trump has downplayed the issue, describing it as a distraction.

Still, pressure is mounting. Khanna’s involvement has added significant momentum to the initiative, which is being supported by a small but vocal group of House Republicans. These include Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Nancy Mace (S.C.), and Lauren Boebert (Colo.), all of whom have signed onto the discharge petition.

The final signature is expected after a September 23 special election in Arizona, where Democrat Adelita Grijalva is favored to win the seat left vacant by her late father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva. Her addition would likely push the petition over the finish line.

Meanwhile, momentum is also building in the Senate. Though Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has not committed to taking up any House-passed legislation, several Republican senators — including Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Rand Paul (Ky.) — have expressed strong support for full disclosure.

Hawley compared the Epstein case to the JFK and MLK files, saying the public has a right to the truth. Paul echoed that sentiment, telling The Hill, “People are losing faith in government and people have this idea that rich people get treated differently."

“I think it’s worth opening up [the Justice Department’s Epstein files] to reassure people," he added. “I don’t know, maybe nothing happened… Reveal the information so that people can feel more comfortable that justice is equal, impartial and blind."

News world Democrat Ro Khanna, GOP Team Up To Pressure Trump Admin To Release Epstein Files

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