As some on the left continue to push unsubstantiated claims linking President Donald Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a growing number of House Democrats are privately expressing frustration with what they see as a baseless and politically motivated narrative, according to a report from Axios.
The report claims House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is urging his caucus to amplify the Epstein story in an effort to damage Trump politically and give Democrats a unified message. Jeffries has joined a wave of Democratic governors, presidential contenders, and media figures who are now frequently raising the Epstein case—despite having largely avoided the topic for the past four years.
This, combined with the fact that Democrats had opportunities to push for transparency on the Epstein case while they held power, has left some members of the caucus increasingly doubtful of the current strategy. Axios reports that “several” lawmakers would prefer to use the August recess to focus on clearer policy objectives and midterm planning. One unnamed Democrat put it bluntly: “Candidly, this whole thing is just such bulls**t.”
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), the co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told the outlet that he is “not really focused” on Epstein. “I think the big focus is going to be on health care, because that’s what people care about, and I don’t think this issue is big outside the Beltway,” he said.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), who often disagrees with his party on immigration policy, also stated his opposition to the strategy in a text message. “We will focus on [the ‘big, beautiful bill’], Medicaid, and tariffs raising costs,” he said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has reportedly “surprised” members of his own conference with his aggressive push to spotlight the Jeffrey Epstein case and demand the release of all related documents currently being withheld by federal judges.
According to Politico, the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee—Jeffries’ messaging team—sent multiple emails to members’ offices last week requesting input on how to effectively frame the issue. “We’ve encouraged members to lean into this, to talk to their constituents about it,” said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), who currently serves as one of the committee’s co-chairs. “It’s an opportunity to speak with people who might usually disagree with you.”
