Rep. Thomas Massie went on ABC’s This Week and decided that if you are going to criticize President Trump, you might as well go all the way.
Appearing with Martha Raddatz, the Kentucky congressman did not just question policy decisions. He labeled the current White House the “Epstein administration,” accusing President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi of failing to deliver full transparency on the Epstein files.
That is not subtle.
Massie opened by taking shots at Bondi’s recent congressional testimony, saying she “didn’t do very well” and was “cold” toward survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes. His main complaint centers on what he claims were excessive redactions in documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
When Raddatz pressed him on his ongoing clash with the administration, Massie escalated further. “This is about the Epstein class—the people who are funding the attacks against me,” he said. “They may or may not be implicated in these files, but they were certainly rubbing shoulders with the people in these files.”
Then came the line that set Washington buzzing. “Donald Trump told us that even though he had dinner with these kinds of people in New York City and West Palm Beach, that he would be transparent—but he’s not. He’s still in with the Epstein class. This is the Epstein administration, and they’re attacking me for trying to get these files released.”
Raddatz quickly interjected to note that President Trump “has not been accused of anything criminal here.”
The broader irony is hard to miss. For decades, the Epstein files remained buried while political elites of both parties avoided the subject. President Trump signed the legislation requiring the release of those materials. Now that documents have been produced, critics like Massie are accusing him of cover up.
This all comes against the backdrop of a deepening feud. Earlier this year, President Trump declared political war on Massie after the congressman opposed a Trump backed funding bill. Trump endorsed Navy SEAL and Army Ranger Captain Ed Gallrein as a primary challenger, calling Massie a “Weak and Pathetic RINO” and comparing him to Liz Cheney before her defeat.
Massie once styled himself as a constitutional purist aligned with the Freedom Caucus. Now he finds himself echoing corporate media talking points on national television while under fire from his own party’s base.
Kentucky voters will ultimately decide whether Massie’s crusade against what he calls the “Epstein class” is principled independence or political self sabotage. But one thing is clear. The gloves are off, and this fight is not cooling down anytime soon.
Leave a Comment