Trump Fought 'Hardest' to Stop Epstein Files Release, Greene Says

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene claims Trump made 'biggest political miscalculation' by calling Epstein files a 'hoax'.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Former Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said in an interview that President Donald Trump made the "biggest political miscalculation of [his] career" by calling the Jeffrey Epstein files a "hoax". Greene claimed Trump "fought the hardest to stop these files from being released" and only signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act because it became a "massive political problem" for him.

Why it matters

The release of the Epstein files, which include over 3 million pages of material, has created a political firestorm for the Trump administration. Republicans and Democrats have called for greater transparency, even as Trump has said the country should move on. The fallout continues to spread, with lawmakers from both parties calling for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to resign after the files showed he maintained contact with Epstein long after a 2008 conviction.

The details

Greene, a former staunch Trump supporter who has become a fierce critic, said Trump had House Speaker Mike Johnson refuse to bring the Epstein files bill to the floor until she, along with other representatives, had to vote with Democrats to get it passed. She said all the other Republicans who eventually voted to release the files "wouldn't have done it unless all of you people at home hadn't been losing your minds and talking about it and yelling about it every single day."

  • In November, Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law.
  • In January, Greene announced her resignation from Congress, with her last day coming on January 5.

The players

Marjorie Taylor Greene

A former Republican Congresswoman from Georgia who was once a staunch supporter of Trump but has become a fierce critic.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who Greene claims "fought the hardest to stop these files from being released".

Mike Johnson

The Republican House Speaker who Greene says refused to bring the Epstein files bill to the floor.

Thomas Massie

A Republican Congressman from Kentucky who worked with Greene to get the Epstein files bill passed.

Nancy Mace

A Republican Congresswoman from South Carolina who worked with Greene to get the Epstein files bill passed.

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What they’re saying

“He fought the hardest to stop these files from being released, and the only reason that he signed our bill that we passed in the House was because he had to. It became a massive political problem.”

— Marjorie Taylor Greene, Former Republican Congresswoman (The Owen Report)

“Despite the memo released by DOJ last night, not all the Epstein files have been released. And the excuses provided for not releasing all the files will not hold up in a court of law. This isn't going away until people go to jail.”

— Nancy Mace, Republican Congresswoman (X (formerly Twitter)

“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 are attacking me for trying to get these files released.”

— Thomas Massie, Republican Congressman (ABC News' This Week)

“This is definitely not a hoax. And if you got redacted people's names and these people aren't victims, you're not protecting the victims.”

— Joe Rogan, Podcaster (The Joe Rogan Experience)

“It's really a Democrat problem. The Democrats were Epstein's friends, all of them. And it's a hoax, the whole thing is a hoax.”

— Donald Trump (Remarks to reporters in November)

What’s next

Lawmakers who pushed for transparency indicated they will continue to scrutinize the DOJ's redactions and the completeness of the Epstein files release. Representative Nancy Mace has also said she'll be making other requests for Epstein-related information through the Oversight Committee.

The takeaway

This case highlights the political fallout and ongoing controversy surrounding the release of the Epstein files, with accusations of a cover-up and calls for greater transparency from both Republicans and Democrats. It also underscores the deep divisions within the GOP over Trump's handling of the issue and the lasting impact it could have on his political future.