BREAKING NEWS Mike Johnson flips Epstein script on GOP saying Ghislaine Maxwell SHOULD testify and Pam Bondi must release files
The Republican shared on a podcast with conservative pundit Benny Johnson that he would like more transparency from the White House surrounding the highly sought after files on the deceased pedophile.
Asked if he would support efforts to have Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell testify before Congress, the speaker said 'I'm for transparency.' He also appeared open to congress issuing subpoenas to the FBI and Department of Justice to force them to turn over any previously undisclosed files.
'We're intellectually consistent in this... I trust him (Trump). He put together a team of his choosing and they're doing a great job,' the Republican said. 'It's a very delicate subject but we should put everything out there and let the people decide.'
'The White House, and the White House team, are privy to facts that I don't know. I mean this isn't my lane, I haven't been involved in that. But I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there.'
He also specifically mentioned Attorney General Pam Bondi's previous remarks noting she had Epstein-related documents on her desk before the DOJ claimed last week that no 'client list' exists.
'Pam Bondi, I don't know when she originally made the statement, I think she was talking about documents, as I understood it they were on her desk,' Speaker Johnson claimed.
'I don't know if she was specific about a list or whatever. But she needs to come forward and explain that to everybody ... I am anxious to get this behind us.'
🚨BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Speaker Mike Johnson says he supports Ghislaine Maxwell testifying to Congress and demands the DOJ release everything they have on Epstein:
"I'm for transparency. We should put everything out there and let the people decide. Pam Bondi needs to come forward… pic.twitter.com/diB5cDQmAk
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 15, 2025
His sentiment appeared to cut against the White House's reluctance to engage on the topic.
Last week Trump balked after a reporter asked him about Epstein, and Trump posted over the weekend a sprawling Truth Social post seemingly questioning voter's interest in the case.
However, as pressure has grown on Attorney General Pam Bondi to release sealed documents on the financier's crimes and jailhouse death, Trump has seemingly relented and is now for additional files being released.
'The attorney general has handled that very well. She's really done a very good job. I think when you look at it, you'll understand that. I would like to see that also, but the credibility is very important,' he said about the Epstein files Tuesday.
Firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., along with other conservatives have been pushing for more information on the Epstein case.
'I fully support the transparency on this issue,' Greene said Tuesday. 'I also think Pam Bondi is doing a great job.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
a minute ago
- The Independent
Trump's approval rating has dropped to a new low
Donald Trump 's approval rating has fallen to 40 per cent, marking the lowest point of his second presidential term, according to a new Reuters/ Ipsos poll. The poll indicates a sharp national divide, with 83 per cent of Republicans approving, but only three per cent of Democrats and a third of independents supporting his performance. While approval for his handling of the economy and immigration policies saw slight increases, his overall rating has dropped by approximately 12 points since January. Trump's approval among men has significantly declined, with a CBS / YouGov poll showing 47 per cent approval compared to 54 per cent before his second electoral victory. The dip in ratings comes as some of his core supporters question his administration's handling of the 'Epstein files', despite earlier promises of transparency.
Daily Mail
2 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Megyn Kelly makes dire prediction about Trump's decision to potentially pardon Diddy
Megyn Kelly warned President Donald Trump is in danger of having 'another Epstein' situation on his hands if he decides to pardon Sean ' Diddy ' Combs. The former Fox News star made the dire prediction on Wednesday while reacting to reports that Trump is 'strongly considering' pardoning the hip hop mogul over a conviction on prostitution charges. Kelly 'urged' Trump not to even consider such an action, arguing it would be disastrous as the president continues to face backlash from his base over his decision not to release an alleged list of late financier Jeffrey Epstein 's clients. The Epstein decision, Kelly said, made 'it look to the MAGA base like [Trump's] part of the elite cabal. And they don't like that. They elected Trump because he promised not to be one of them.' Pardoning Diddy 'would not help' Trump shake that reputation, 'not at all,' she continued, arguing the case against the rapper is 'the same thing.' 'There's already people thinking that there's a cover-up here,' Kelly said, insinuating other famous celebrities were 'being provided access to young women and drugs' at Diddy's infamous freak-off parties. If the president were to now pardon him, Kelly argued, it could be detrimental to the Republican Party - which she said is already losing support from female voters. 'It's telling all these young vulnerable women they don't count, they don't matter. That even the top Republican president will cover up any wrong doing when it comes to that type of a victim,' she said. Reports emerged Tuesday that the president is 'strongly considering' pardoning the hip hop mogul over his prostitution charges 'It just cannot happen,' Kelly continued, noting that the Republican Party is already struggling to retain young female voters. 'And they're not all lefties,' she said. 'There are young conservative women who aren't in love with Trump or MAGA. And this will not help.' Even without the political ramifications, Kelly said pardoning the I'll Be Missing You singer would be a 'miscarriage of justice.' She said Diddy should 'serve time' because he 'admitted expressly' that he was a domestic abuser. 'He beat those women to a pulp and didn't even deny it,' Kelly said, incredulously. 'He got away with it. He was only found guilty on these two minor charges... let him at least serve the time on those.' The 55-year-old mogul was acquitted on three of his most serious charges earlier this month, when he was found not guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering. Combs was only instead convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, which could see him spend 10 years behind bars. As the judge prepares his punishment for the former producer over prostitution charges, a source told Deadline that Trump has been mulling stepping in to offer reprieve. Insiders told the outlet that the idea had advanced from 'just another Trump weave to an actionable event.' Closed door discussions about a potential pardon reached fever pitch in May when Trump acknowledged Diddy's case with reporters. While he admitted he hasn't paid close attention to the trial, Trump suggested he would be open to the idea of pardoning his one-time friend. 'I'd look at what's happening,' he said. 'I haven't seen him, I haven't spoken to him in years. 'He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics he sort of, that relationship busted up from what I read. I don't know. He didn't tell me that, but I'd read some nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden.' 'So, I don't know. I would certainly look at the facts. if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me it wouldn't have any impact,' he concluded. Trump later addressed the case again in the Oval Office, and said: 'nobody's asked but I know people are thinking about it.' 'I know they're thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking,' he added. Attorney John Koufos, who recently met with Trump's pardon 'tsar' Alice Marie Johnson and pardon attorney Ed Martin, now tells the Daily Mail elements of the case fit with Trump's push against 'overcriminalization' and 'weaponization' in charging. The president had himself been charged with a racketeering conspiracy in the Georgia election interference case, and he has long railed against what he calls weaponization of the criminal justice system. Analysts watching the Diddy case have previously questioned whether the government also overcharged the rapper, and Koufos wondered how the defendant could be engaging in a RICO conspiracy by themselves. 'Had he been convicted of a RICO [charge], you'd be looking at something different,' he argued, though he said there was 'nothing particularly sympathetic' about the defendant.
Reuters
2 minutes ago
- Reuters
EU energy policy trapped between US gas and Chinese green tech
LONDON, July 31 - The European Union's lavish pledge to buy $750 billion of U.S. energy by 2028 risks exacerbating the bloc's already outsized dependence on American gas, just as it finds itself increasingly reliant on Chinese technology to power its energy transition. The EU has committed to boost purchases of U.S. oil, natural gas and coal from around $75 billion in 2024 to $250 billion per year over the next three years under the new trade deal with Washington. The U.S. already accounted for 50% of the EU's liquefied natural gas imports in 2024, as well as 17% of oil imports and 35% of coal imports, according to Eurostat data. Any expansion in energy trade between the two regions would likely focus on LNG, as the U.S. is the world's top exporter of the super-chilled fuel. However, the promised purchases appear not only unlikely but downright unrealistic, both because of the enormous volumes involved and the fact that EU energy trade is primarily determined by market forces, not centralised buying. But the larger concern is that any increased purchases would accelerate Europe's growing dependency on U.S. energy at a precarious moment. Europe has become heavily reliant on LNG imports on account of its sharp reduction of Russian pipeline gas purchases following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Prior to that, Russia accounted for more than 40% of European gas imports. Brussels plans to completely phase out Russian energy imports by 2027, a complex but feasible ambition that will further increase its need for LNG, which will come in large part from the U.S. Relying on a democratic Western ally should create less political danger than tying oneself to an authoritarian power, but it is not risk-free. For one, the Trump administration has engaged in erratic policymaking and bullying behaviour that may make European leaders question the durability of any U.S. deal. Additionally, the vast majority of LNG production is concentrated along the U.S. Gulf Coast, which faces the risk of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, floods and heatwaves. Such disasters could lead to abrupt and severe supply disruptions. Furthermore, U.S. natural gas prices could rise sharply in the coming years as domestic demand rises, particularly given the astronomical power needs of artificial intelligence. Indeed, the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts Henry Hub gas prices will double between 2024 and 2026 to $4.40 per million British thermal units. Such price spikes could render American LNG less competitive versus other supplies. The energy crisis that followed Moscow's invasion of Ukraine taught Europe two painful lessons: don't be heavily reliant on any single energy supplier, and true energy security means reducing reliance on fossil fuels, especially given the EU's insufficient and dwindling domestic production. To address the latter concern, the bloc has accelerated investments in renewables, nuclear and battery storage technologies. European investment in clean energy is set to reach $494 billion in 2025, doubling from a decade ago, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency. Renewables such as solar and wind generated half of the region's electricity and around 20% of total energy consumption last year. The rapid growth in renewables comes with its own dependency risks, however, as the green energy supply chain is dominated by Chinese technology. Solar power is the fastest source of Europe's renewable energy growth, and China supplies around 80% of the EU's solar photovoltaic panels. And it does so at an extremely low cost, which has for years impeded Europe's efforts to expand domestic manufacturing in this area. While Europe has a strong local wind turbine industry, which accounts for about 80% of its supply chain, opens new tab, and a robust battery manufacturing industry, China dominates the processing of critical raw materials, such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, essential for storage batteries as well as the production of rare earth magnets used in wind turbines. Diversifying the EU's sources of renewables technologies and critical minerals is therefore crucial for the bloc's energy security, though this will take years to achieve. In theory, cooperating with the U.S. on this front could prove beneficial, but not if Washington uses its dominant position to squeeze more concessions from the EU while offering little in return. The EU, the world's second largest economic zone, therefore finds itself caught between two geopolitical powers. And the bloc's twin concerns – increasing dependence on U.S. LNG, and overreliance on China for its renewables supply chain – may ultimately cause European leaders, worried about high energy costs, to lean back into fossil fuels. Balancing energy security and political realities will determine the pace and success of the EU's energy policies in the coming years. But if the terms of the recent U.S. trade deal are any indication, the EU is not off to a very good start. Enjoying this column? Check out Reuters Open Interest (ROI),, opens new tabyour essential new source for global financial commentary. ROI delivers thought-provoking, data-driven analysis. Markets are moving faster than ever. ROI, opens new tab can help you keep up. Follow ROI on LinkedIn, opens new tab and X., opens new tab
