Trump is set for a potentially damaging congressional vote on releasing files related to Jeffrey Epstein, after efforts by the White House to persuade key Republican lawmakers to withdraw their support for the motion appear to have failed.
The discharge petition, which needs 218 votes to pass, has secured enough backing after a Democratic member was sworn in just weeks ago. However, two prominent female Republicans - Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Nancy Mace of South Carolina - have refused to budge on their opposition to releasing the files.
According to reports, Trump invited Boebert to the White House in an attempt to persuade her to change her mind, but she reportedly stood firm after being briefed on sensitive details from the files. The New York Times has reported that these emails suggest Trump may have had more knowledge about Epstein's alleged sex trafficking activities than he initially claimed.
The White House has been accused of trying to intimidate Boebert into changing her mind by enlisting the support of high-ranking officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. However, this strategy appears to have backfired, with Boebert now more determined than ever to see the petition through.
Trump's own handling of the situation has been criticized, particularly after he was said to have used "vague threats" against those who opposed him on the issue. Mace, meanwhile, released a personal statement explaining why she cannot change her mind and described the petition as "deeply personal".
While it is unlikely that the files will pass the Senate, the prospect of a congressional vote on releasing them could still pose significant political risks for Trump. Many of his supporters have expressed outrage at his handling of the Epstein scandal, and a vote in favor of releasing the files could fuel further criticism.
Trump's allies have acknowledged that the latest developments have complicated an already contentious situation, with one source likening it to "adding salt to a dish" - accentuating all the existing flaws. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has labeled the recent revelations as a "distraction campaign by Democrats and liberal media".
The discharge petition, which needs 218 votes to pass, has secured enough backing after a Democratic member was sworn in just weeks ago. However, two prominent female Republicans - Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Nancy Mace of South Carolina - have refused to budge on their opposition to releasing the files.
According to reports, Trump invited Boebert to the White House in an attempt to persuade her to change her mind, but she reportedly stood firm after being briefed on sensitive details from the files. The New York Times has reported that these emails suggest Trump may have had more knowledge about Epstein's alleged sex trafficking activities than he initially claimed.
The White House has been accused of trying to intimidate Boebert into changing her mind by enlisting the support of high-ranking officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. However, this strategy appears to have backfired, with Boebert now more determined than ever to see the petition through.
Trump's own handling of the situation has been criticized, particularly after he was said to have used "vague threats" against those who opposed him on the issue. Mace, meanwhile, released a personal statement explaining why she cannot change her mind and described the petition as "deeply personal".
While it is unlikely that the files will pass the Senate, the prospect of a congressional vote on releasing them could still pose significant political risks for Trump. Many of his supporters have expressed outrage at his handling of the Epstein scandal, and a vote in favor of releasing the files could fuel further criticism.
Trump's allies have acknowledged that the latest developments have complicated an already contentious situation, with one source likening it to "adding salt to a dish" - accentuating all the existing flaws. Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has labeled the recent revelations as a "distraction campaign by Democrats and liberal media".
Trump's grip on truth is getting looser by the day... I mean who tries to intimidate lawmakers with threats? 
Not cool, dude. This move just makes him look more shady than ever. The fact that Boebert and Mace are standing firm against releasing those files shows there's still some integrity left in politics. The White House needs to stop playing games and be honest about what they know. And let's be real, if Trump is hiding something, it's only gonna come back to haunt him. The truth will always come out eventually... 
! Trump's trying to keep these Epstein files under wraps but I think it's only a matter of time before they come out anyway #JusticeForEpsteinVictims #TransparencyMatters. Boebert's being super brave for sticking her ground despite all the pressure from the White House, gotta respect that 
. And honestly, can't Trump just be honest about what he knew? It's not like it's gonna change anything now 
#TrumpTransparency #EpsteinFiles.
. This whole thing is a mess and I don't think anyone comes out looking good in the end 
. Still, as long as there's a vote on these files, I'll be keeping an eye on it 
#FollowTheMoney #JusticeForAll. Can we just get to the bottom of this already? 
Those emails from the White House are making me wonder what he knows and when he knew it. 
I'm all for transparency, you know? But if Trump is gonna try to silence his own people, that just goes to show how messed up things have gotten around him. 
. And let's be real, the fact that Boebert and Mace are holding out on their support is actually kinda awesome - it shows they're not afraid to stand up for what they believe in 
. Plus, if Trump loses, maybe this will give him a chance to reflect on his past actions (just kidding, he's probably gonna keep denying everything 
). But honestly, I think the bigger story here is how much drama and stress this whole thing must be causing for those involved - poor Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace must be getting some serious heat from their own parties 
.
its gonna be super interesting to see how this plays out