‘Democrat hoax’: Was Trump an FBI informant against Jeffrey Epstein? Trump aide Mike Johnson’s startling claim

Donald Trump; Mike Johnson

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday claimed, in a placing comment, that Donald Trump had served as an FBI “informant” against Jeffrey Epstein — even because the US president dismissed bipartisan efforts to launch all federal recordsdata on Epstein as a “Democrat hoax.”Also Read | ‘Time to finish Democrat hoax’: Trump calls to shut Epstein case; accuses opposition of political agendaJohnson, a Republican ally of Trump, mentioned the president had cooperated with federal authorities “for decades,” courting again to Epstein’s affiliation with Trump’s Mar-a-Lago membership. “He’s not saying what Epstein did is a hoax — it’s a terrible, unspeakable evil, and he believes that himself. When he first heard the rumour, he kicked him (Epstein) out of Mar-a-Lago. He was an FBI informant trying to take this down,” Johnson informed reporters. He added that Trump “has great sympathy for the women who have suffered these unspeakable harms”.The two had mentioned the matter “as recently as 24 hours ago”, he additional acknowledged.The White House has not commented on Johnson’s assertion. While Johnson sought to defend Trump, the latter has repeatedly dismissed calls for for better transparency within the Epstein case, insisting the push for full disclosure is “politically motivated.”Bipartisan push for recordsdata In Congress, momentum is constructing for a laws to declassify the entire Epstein file. Reps. Thomas Massie (Republican; Kentucky.) and Rohit “Ro” Khanna (Democrat; California) are main a bipartisan invoice, with Massie additionally pushing a discharge petition to pressure a House vote. Massie mentioned on X that 214 lawmakers had signed the petition — simply 4 in need of the 218 required. “I’m 99% certain we’ll get 218,” he wrote, warning that Johnson may attempt to change House guidelines to dam the vote. So far, solely three different Republicans — Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace — have signed on, CNN reported. Survivors, annoyed by authorities inaction, have threatened to compile their very own listing of Epstein’s alleged associates.Massie additional instructed that whereas survivors’ non-public listing might not seem “any time soon,” lawmakers may use congressional immunity to reveal names on the House ground.