Thomas Massie Says Trump Intimidated, Retaliated Against GOP Rep ‘Over Epstein’
Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie claimed President Donald Trump retaliated against his Republican colleague for demanding transparency around the Epstein files.
Massie told Tucker Carlson in an interview Wednesday that Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert was taken to the situation room and asked to remove her name from a release petition, which would force a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Boebert was just one of four Republicans who signed the petition, joining 214 Democrats to force a floor vote.
After Boebert refused to defeat the vote, Massie said Trump vetoed a bill that would allocate critical resources to southeastern Colorado residents, many of whom are his constituents. (RELATED: Judge Releases Alleged Epstein Suicide Note)
“They took her to the situation room and tried to convince her to remove her name from the Epstein release request,” Massie said. “And then the president vetoed a bill that would have brought water to much of Colorado, to the detriment of Epstein.”
🚨WATCH: Rep. Thomas Massie tells Tucker Carlson that ‘They took [Lauren Boebert] in the situation room and tried to convince her to remove her name from the Epstein release request.
“And then the president vetoed a bill that would have brought water to many… pic.twitter.com/gDTmyfH5fB
– Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 7, 2026
The bill Trump vetoed was the bipartisan Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act, which would complete a 130-mile pipeline to provide drinking water to tens of thousands of Colorado residents. It is one of two bills Trump vetoed during his second term.
“At this point, it’s not just about Lauren Boebert,” Massie said. “Why are Colorado residents being deprived of water because their representative wants to expose a sex trafficking ring?” (RELATED: Leaked Photo Brought End to Hillary Clinton’s Closed-Closed Epstein Testimony)
Despite repeatedly calling the Epstein files a “Democratic hoax,” the president signed the Epstein files transparency law after it passed with overwhelming support in the House and Senate.
Trump said he vetoed the legislation in December because the project had become too expensive, pointing out that local users were supposed to repay the project’s costs but had failed to do so. Trump also noted that Congress had already provided additional financial support in 2009, but construction had still not progressed.
“Enough is enough,” Trump said. “My administration is committed to preventing American taxpayers from funding costly and unreliable policies. Ending the massive cost of taxpayer handouts and restoring fiscal health is vital to the nation’s economic growth and fiscal health.”
