US House speaker Mike Johnson has waded into the Epstein files saga that is roiling Donald Trump’s conservative base – by calling on the justice department to release the Epstein files.
Johnson, a key ally of the US president, was asked about the controversy during an interview for a rightwing podcast. “It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it,” Johnson told Benny Johnson, in comments released on Tuesday. “I agree with the sentiment that we need to put it out there.”
Referring to a comment attorney general Pam Bondi made to Fox News this year that Epstein’s client list was “sitting on my desk right now to review”, Johnson said: “She needs to come forward and explain that to everybody.
“We need the DoJ focusing on the major priorities. So let’s get this thing resolved,” the speaker added.
The comments put Johnson at odds with Trump, who has defended Bondi’s handling of the case.
Since the White House press office selected reporters from five pro-Trump, partisan news outlets to ask...
