Free Republic

Summary A few Republicans join Democrats in criticizing Epstein release as inadequate Justice Department missed deadline for full Epstein file disclosure Critics say redactions fuel conspiracy theories, erode Trump support The U.S. Justice Department released a partial, heavily redacted set of Epstein-related files on December 19-20, 2025, missing a congressional deadline for full disclosure under a bipartisan law signed by President Trump in November. The release included approximately 300,000 pages of documents, photos, and materials, with extensive redactions—including entirely blacked-out sections—and featured prominent references to former President Bill Clinton but few to Trump. Criticism came from both parties: Democrats accused...

President Donald Trump’s call for House Republicans to support releasing Jeffrey Epstein-related documents was a stunning capitulation after a months-long campaign to block the vote. It was also a specific defeat for Trump at the hands of a despised GOP opponent: Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. “He got tired of me winning,” Massie said of Trump’s U-turn in an interview Monday morning. Insisting “I DON’T CARE!” in a late-night Truth Social post, Trump was bowing to the inevitable — a broad House Republican mutiny on a vote that was only scheduled because Massie forced it. It was the result of...

Sir Tony Blair met with Jeffrey Epstein in Downing Street while still prime minister, following lobbying by Lord Peter Mandelson, the BBC has confirmed. A memo written by senior civil servant Matthew Rycroft, dated 14 May 2002, briefs Sir Tony about "super-rich" financial adviser Epstein ahead of a meeting scheduled at 17.00 GMT that day. The meeting was six years before Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008. A spokesperson for Sir Tony said: "As far as he can remember, Mr Blair met with him for less than 30 minutes in Downing Street in 2002,...

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) joined the chorus of hard-right influencers posting their past text messages from Charlie Kirk as the MAGA world debates Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson’s claim that Kirk had turned against Israel. Owens has gone on to wildly claim Kirk was feeling “blackmailed” by Israel ahead of his death despite Kirk being one of the most vocal pro-Israel voices on the right. Greene added her voice to the firestorm on Wednesday with a post that included a screenshot of a text message from Kirk, asking her if she would like to take part in a debate...