Trump tells GOP to release the Epstein files

Donald Trump has been getting wrecked on the Epstein files to the point that he is now risking alienating his base. Trump was making big moves behind the scenes to reportedly block Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) from being able to get their discharge petition on the floor.

Now, however, Trump appears to have given in, instructing that all files be turned over to the House Oversight Committee.

Out of context

When the first batches of the files were publicly released, I browsed through them and while Trump’s name was mentioned, I did not think there was anything that would hurt him.

Both Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner in crime, and Virginia Giuffre, a former Epstein victim, had both gone on the record that Trump never did anything inappropriate.

That, however, did not stop Democrats from releasing some of the emails out of context to hurt the president.

In one example, Epstein wrote, "I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump. [Victim] spent hours at my house with him, he has never once been mentioned."

Losing MAGA

These files have also hurt Trump with his MAGA supporters, as they believed Trump during the campaign when he said he would have all of these files released.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) noted how the resistance to having the files released has really hurt Trump among MAGA supporters. He stated, “I was hoping that and Donald Trump started to say he’ll unendorse people like Marjorie Taylor Greene so it’s basically Massie and me versus the White House.

“They’re calling members to the Situation Room. You know why Trump is losing his MAGA base on this?

“The reason he’s losing it is he ran saying, ‘There’s a corrupt governing elite that has shafted you,’ that ‘This is the Epstein class versus forgotten Americans, and I’m going to stand up for forgotten Americans. He’s forgotten those forgotten Americans. And we are saying that we are going to stand up for survivors, for America’s kids, and we’re going to hold this class accountable.”

Flipping

I have said all along that if Trump has nothing to hide, he needs to release those files even if they expose allies. If there are allies in there, covering for them only makes it worse. Release the files and let the chips fall where they may.

Well, after taking hits for a week by Democrats and the media, Trump is now saying that the House Oversight Committee can have everything. He posted, "As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat 'Shutdown.'"

He later added, "All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT, which is the Economy, ‘Affordability’ (where we are winning BIG!), our Victory on reducing Inflation from the highest level in History to practically nothing, bringing down prices for the American People, delivering Historic Tax Cuts, gaining Trillions of Dollars of Investment into America (A RECORD!), the rebuilding of our Military, securing our Border, deporting Criminal Illegal Aliens, ending Men in Women’s Sports, stopping Transgender for Everyone, and so much more!"

If there are Republicans in those files, they don’t deserve to be protected, so I really don’t understand why Trump was so adamant about protecting these files for this long. Hopefully, we can finally put this mess behind us.