Lara Trump says White House needs 'more transparency' on Epstein
'I believe that there will probably be more coming on this. And I believe anything that they are able to release that doesn't, you know, damage any witnesses or anyone underage or anything like that, I believe they'll probably try to get out sooner rather than later,' she added.
Her statement has echoes of previous comments by Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, who repeatedly promised to release investigation documents after joining the Trump administration. The Department of Justice has since announced the closure of the Epstein case and their earlier remarks have been widely circulated online by critics.
Many ardent supporters of the president have expressed skepticism about the earlier DOJ conclusion that Epstein killed himself while in federal custody during Trump's first term. They also have called for the release of a supposed client list that administration officials now say does not exist.
Trump supporters at this weekend's Turning Point USA conference, including Trump allies Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk, repeatedly called on the administration to release the Epstein investigation files, despite the president repeatedly downplaying the issue and Patel saying 'the conspiracy theories just aren't true.'
Trump's comments come as Republicans await to hear whether she will run for Senate in North Carolina, her home state. Many Republicans see her as a top candidate to replace Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced his retirement last month after breaking with Republicans on their domestic policy agenda bill.
Despite Trump indicating she believes the White House will make the files public, some legal experts have argued the DOJ may be unable to share additional information because of the sensitive nature of the case.
Democrats have sought to capitalize on the uproar. Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas introduced a resolution on Monday calling for the release of the files. Rep. Ro Khanna of California is expected to introduce a related amendment in the House Rules Committee Tuesday.
The Democratic National Committee launched an account on X on Thursday dedicated to demanding the release of the files, joining a chorus of Democratic lawmakers criticizing the White House for the lack of transparency.
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I've lived here for four years now, and it's still a culture shock! My husband, his ex-wife, and I are the only people I know with Master's degrees, let alone Bachelor's or even Associate's degrees. I was 27 when I got married, and I felt I was young, but people here get married and have kids straight out of high school. When I had my first child at 29 and my second at 31, I had a friend pregnant with her fourth at 24." "Moving from a blue state to a red state, I'd say the biggest shock was the quality of the local eateries. Not very many Michelin stars here." "I never experienced racism until I moved to the Midwest. Before moving here, people thought it was cool that I'm Puerto Rican. Here, it's something icky that people look down upon. Fuck 'em." "Not me, but my parents. A few years ago, they moved from Texas to Colorado. The thing that shocked me the most was around election time. For ANY election (local or federal), residents receive a voting guide in the mail. It lists each candidate they can vote for, describes their platform or relevant info that might influence a vote, and is provided FOR FREE. They actually want people to be informed voters. Go figure!" "I moved from St. Louis County (blue) to Hamilton County just north of Indianapolis (red). Everyone here gets married SO young. I'm 26 and only a handful of people from my high school are married, but so many people I talk to here think that if you're not married by 25, you'll never get married. Also, religion is so different. In the area I grew up in, there's a good bit of diversity. About a third of my high school was Jewish, so most people respected those differences and kind of knew the basics of different religions and cultures. So many people here tell me I'm the first Jewish person they've met and ask a ton of questions or immediately try to convince me to convert." "I moved from a very progressive blue state to a mid-conservative red state. What did I notice? The drivers are so much angrier in the red state. They're so much more aggressive, and there's more honking. And it's not that I moved from a small town to a big city. I moved to a smaller city than where I had lived in the blue state." "I moved to Alabama because of my dad's work when I was 16, having spent my entire childhood in the Portland, Oregon, metro area, and just over the river in Washington. Honestly, there were a lot of changes; it was almost like moving to a new country. Initially, I was shocked by how 'cliquey' people were. There really is a very 'it' look and style, whereas I feel like the West Coast is more varied and unique, so it was harder to feel like an outsider. I came home from youth group in tears multiple times because I felt so left out. ALSO, the Confederate pride is honestly wild. Why would you want to name places after people who committed high treason? The political environment is also very different, and having a more niche view is harder. You're either a MAGA-loving Christian or you're a heathen Leftist maniac." "NYC native. Moved to a populated and beautiful upscale town in Georgia. The food culture is very different. I miss the variety and quality of different ethnicities. I don't like fried food, and we try to eat healthy, but even the upscale grocery stores have limited produce choices. The local restaurant menus are predictable, and choices are very limited. There are a few nice restaurants, but they're wildly overpriced, and typically, a steakhouse has been the best bet so far. Favorites for the 'locals' are Chick-fil-A and Cracker Barrel. We don't eat out much. 😞" "I moved from Arkansas to Raleigh, NC. It's not a full red-to-blue, but the capital is pretty blue. The biggest surprise was the multi-cultural neighborhoods with races and immigrants from all over the world. Most Arkansas communities are shockingly segregated. I'm originally from Georgia, and that's a big problem outside of the Atlanta area, too. Check out recent census maps, and you'll see what I mean." "I'm from Los Angeles. People in Idaho go to church, well, religiously. Fry Sauce is a big deal here, too. Also, you do NOT volunteer that you're from Cali unless you want someone's unsolicited two cents or a political debate. Boise is a nice place to live (lived there 15 years), but don't talk politics unless red is your philosophy/leaning. I think Trump's an orangutan with an out-sized ego. But you don't share that shit out loud here." "I moved from Colorado to North Carolina two years ago. The racism and MAGA get to me, as does the lack of a gay community. I see giant Confederate flags on tall poles on properties right outside the city, and 'Let's Go Brandon' flags. There are sundown counties where Black people wouldn't be safe at night. The gay community is small compared to Denver, even though this city is about the same size as Denver. As expensive as Denver is, I still might try to move back. Writing that all out, it seems so obvious that would be Southern culture, I really wonder what I was thinking to move." "I moved from Chicago to an Indianapolis suburb. I've never felt more out of place due to the lack of diversity. And even though people view Chicago as more dangerous, and where I live now is considered one of the safest towns in the state, I've never felt more fearful of my neighbors or walking into a restaurant than I do now. I'm kind of stuck here due to finances and family, but if it were my choice, I'd move back to Chicago in a heartbeat." "I moved from a red state to a blue state and back to a red state, and I think the biggest culture shock I experienced is the way red state folks make being from a red state their entire personality." And: "I grew up in a hyper-blue state and moved to a hyper-red state. I've got to say: Both are equally intolerant and unaccepting, just in different ways. All of my friends back in my liberal home state were *shocked* that I wanted to maybe be a stay-at-home mom one day, while people in the conservative town I live in now low-key disapproved that I went to college. Both preach love, tolerance, and acceptance, until they meet people who think differently from them." Have you lived in both a red and blue state? What are the biggest differences you noticed between the two? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form. Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
