Republican behind Epstein files act responds to Trump ‘lowlife’ taunt | Donald Trump
A Kentucky congressman, named by Donald Trump over Christmas as a “thug” after he co-wrote a law forcing the federal government to release all of its files on Jeffrey Epstein, said the president attacked him for keeping his pledge to “help victims.”
Thomas Massie then successfully solicited donations for his bid for another term in the 2026 midterm elections against an opponent that Trump – his fellow Republican – has already supported.
This back and forth illustrates a growing divide between Trump and Massie. Massie earned the president’s scorn by working to pass a bipartisan Congressional bill requiring the full release of documents relating to Epstein, the former Trump friend who pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor and who apparently committed suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.
And over Christmas, Trump posted a speech on his Truth Social platform that called Congress’s interest in Epstein a “scam,” while calling Massie — the only lawmaker named in the post — “a sleazy Republican.”
This prompted Massie to respond on
Massie’s account cited the phrase “a ‘Republican'” in the text of the post, highlighted it in screenshots of Trump’s tirade — and asked X users to “please support me” while providing a link to his campaign donations site.
More than 40 people donated nearly $3,000 in the first two hours after the fundraiser, Massie’s account said in separate follow-up posts. A user responding to Massie’s account described making “one of the few Republican contributions of my life.”
“I really appreciate it, especially the day after Christmas,” the congressman’s account reads.
Massie has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2012. He became a thorn in Trump’s side after the presidential administration failed to deliver on promises of full transparency in the Epstein case.
He not only co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act that passed Congress in November. Massie also said everyone with ties to Epstein must face “the same kind of consequences” as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who lost his British royal title as Duke of York because of his ties to the sex offender financier.
Additionally, Massie then alluded to Peter Mandelson, the UK ambassador to the US before his dismissal due to his association with Epstein.
“There is a realization in Britain that needs to be raised in the United States,” Massie said at the time. “A prince lost his title. The ambassador to the United States lost his job. We need to see those kinds of consequences here.”
Trump’s Justice Department did not fully meet the December 19 deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, although it released a number of documents that day. On Wednesday, the Justice Department said it had discovered more than 1 million additional documents related to Epstein and that it could take “a few additional weeks” to process those records for release.
Trump endorsed Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy Seal, against Massie in the Republican primary for the incumbent president’s seat ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Massie previously told Politico that Gallrein was a “failed establishment hack” who Trump supported out of panic.
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