{"id":7565,"date":"2025-11-18T00:36:48","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T00:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/11\/18\/latest-on-the-trump-administration-as-epstein-files-vote-presents-a-test-for-gop-lawmakers-cnn-politics-cnn\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T00:36:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T00:36:48","slug":"latest-on-the-trump-administration-as-epstein-files-vote-presents-a-test-for-gop-lawmakers-cnn-politics-cnn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpinitiate.com\/echo-test\/demo973e36f5\/2025\/11\/18\/latest-on-the-trump-administration-as-epstein-files-vote-presents-a-test-for-gop-lawmakers-cnn-politics-cnn\/","title":{"rendered":"Latest on the Trump administration as Epstein files vote presents a test for GOP lawmakers | CNN Politics – CNN"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Live Updates<\/p>\n

Trump administration news: President says he\u2019d sign bill to release Epstein files <\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
CNN’s Dana Bash and Manu Raju break down President Trump’s reversal on the Epstein files and why he’s now calling for House Republicans to vote in favor of the documents’ release in a vote this week. <\/p>\n

” data-duration=”02:28″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/still-22125125-84711-56000000001-still.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/still-22125125-84711-56000000001-still.jpg?c=16×9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill” } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”Inside Politics<\/a>” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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\"Dana <\/a> <\/div>\n
By Dana Bash<\/span><\/a>, CNN <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Updated 7:36 PM EST, Mon November 17, 2025 <\/div>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-is-vertical-video-embed=”false” data-network-id data-publish-date=”2025-11-17T19:00:46.340Z” data-video-section=”politics” data-canonical-url=”https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/11\/17\/politics\/video\/inside-politics-trump-mtg-epstein” data-branding-key data-video-slug=”inside-politics-trump-mtg-epstein” data-first-publish-slug=”inside-politics-trump-mtg-epstein” data-video-tags data-breakpoints=”{“video-resource–media-extra-large”: 660}” data-display-video-cover=”true” data-details data-track-zone=”live-story-lede” data-sticky-anchor-pos=”bottom”> <\/p>\n

CNN’s Dana Bash and Manu Raju break down President Trump’s reversal on the Epstein files and why he’s now calling for House Republicans to vote in favor of the documents’ release in a vote this week. <\/p>\n

” data-check-event-based-preview data-network-id data-publish-date=”2025-11-17T19:00:46.340Z” data-video-section=”politics” data-canonical-url=”https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/11\/17\/politics\/video\/inside-politics-trump-mtg-epstein” data-branding-key data-video-slug=”inside-politics-trump-mtg-epstein” data-first-publish-slug=”inside-politics-trump-mtg-epstein” data-video-tags> \"still_22125125_84711.56000000001_still.jpg\"<\/picture> <\/div>\n

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On the Epstein files, Trump heeds John Boehner’s adage: “a leader without followers is just a man taking a walk” <\/p>\n

02:28 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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On the Epstein files, Trump heeds John Boehner’s adage: “a leader without followers is just a man taking a walk”<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

02:28 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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\u2022 Epstein files: <\/strong>President Donald Trump said he would sign legislation<\/a> compelling the release of the Justice Department\u2019s Jeffrey Epstein files if it reaches his desk. This comes a day before the House is expected to vote<\/a> to release the files and after Trump reversed himself and urged GOP lawmakers to support the measure<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u2022 GOP leaders weigh stance: <\/strong>Speaker Mike Johnson signaled he could support a bill on releasing the files <\/a>if changes were made to some provisions in the Senate if the measure heads to the chamber. GOP Senate leader John Thune is still mulling whether<\/a> to schedule a vote, a source said. <\/p>\n

\u2022 Venezuela tensions: <\/strong>Meanwhile, Trump said today he would talk directly<\/a> to Venezuelan leader Nicol\u00e1s Maduro as he weighs whether to launch strikes <\/a>in the South American country. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The House on Monday night advanced a measure that would condemn retiring Rep. Chuy Garc\u00eda of Illinois for what some of his Democratic colleagues<\/a> have described as an attempt to subvert the election of his successor. <\/p>\n

This sets up a House vote on the resolution in the coming days. <\/p>\n

The move is a blow to Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team, who sought to kill the effort, which was led by Democratic<\/a> Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington. <\/p>\n

Only one Democrat voted with Gluesenkamp Perez \u2014 an outspoken centrist \u2014 to advance the resolution, as did 209 Republicans, paving the way for a full House floor vote. <\/p>\n

Garc\u00eda is accused of timing his retirement to ensure his hand-picked replacement would win his seat next year. He has defended his actions, saying that he followed the rules, and party leadership has rallied around him. <\/p>\n

The congressman announced his retirement shortly after his state\u2019s filing deadline on November 3 \u2014 after his chief of staff had declared her own candidacy. That meant the staffer, Patty Garcia, was the only Democrat running in a primary for a deep-blue Chicago seat the congressman has held since 2019. <\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the congressman said in a statement that he \u201cfollowed every rule and every filing requirement laid out by the State of Illinois.\u201d <\/p>\n

Asked whether he had concerns about Garc\u00eda\u2019s actions, Jeffries argued that it was not an issue that was important to everyday Americans. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe American people are focused on the high cost of living in the United States of America. That\u2019s what they\u2019re focused on,\u201d Jeffries said ahead of the vote, adding: \u201cI strongly support Congressman Garc\u00eda. He\u2019s been a progressive champion in disenfranchised communities for decades, including during his time in Congress.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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President Donald Trump today said he would sign a bill to make the Epstein files public if it reaches his desk, a stark reversal <\/a>from his efforts to discredit the effort. <\/p>\n

Hear what he said in the Oval Office today:<\/strong> <\/p>\n

President Trump said he would sign a bill to make the files public if it reaches his desk, reaffirming a stark reversal from his efforts to discredit the effort. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports from the White House.<\/p>\n

” data-duration=”01:24″ data-source-html=” \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span>” data-fave-thumbnails=”{“big”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/115253-trumpepsteincollins-vert-1thumb-clean-00-00-27-23-still001.jpg?c=9×16” }, “small”: { “uri”: “https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/115253-trumpepsteincollins-vert-1thumb-clean-00-00-27-23-still001.jpg?c=9×16″ } }” data-vr-video=”false” data-show-html=”” data-byline-html=”<\/p>\n

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By Ellen Rittiner<\/span>, CNN <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Updated 7:36 PM EST, Mon November 17, 2025 <\/div>\n

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President Trump said he would sign a bill to make the files public if it reaches his desk, reaffirming a stark reversal from his efforts to discredit the effort. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports from the White House.<\/p>\n

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Trump explains sudden reversal on his position of Epstein files <\/p>\n

President Trump said he would sign a bill to make the files public if it reaches his desk, reaffirming a stark reversal from his efforts to discredit the effort. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports from the White House.<\/p>\n

01:24 <\/span> \u2022 Source: CNN<\/a> <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Trump explains sudden reversal on his position of Epstein files<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

01:24 <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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President Donald Trump has not directed the Justice Department to stand in the way of turning over any of the Jeffrey Epstein files to Congress, should the House and Senate pass the measure compelling their release, a White House official told CNN. <\/p>\n

That is significant because Trump ordered the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into various high-profile figures\u2019 connections with Epstein. This might have given the department reason to resist turning over files or convinced some lawmakers to back off. <\/p>\n

Generally, the department resists giving Congress files during an ongoing criminal investigation because any public release could jeopardize the integrity of the probe or any resulting criminal case. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear how the Justice Department will respond if the measure is passed by Congress and signed into law. The White House official said that the administration is fully anticipating that more documents will be released by the end of the process. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Democrats are not pursuing the release of the Department of Justice\u2019s full case files on Jeffrey Epstein specifically to go after President Donald Trump, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said today. <\/p>\n

Ahead of a House vote to release the files, Jeffries was asked if he would \u201caccept the results\u201d if Trump\u2019s name was not in the files. <\/p>\n

When pressed on if he was \u201cbothered\u201d that one of his members, Del. Stacey Plaskett, was texting with Epstein<\/a> during a hearing, Jeffries said he had not spoken with the delegate, who represents the US Virgin Islands, about the matter. <\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t had a conversation with Stacey Plaskett and in fact I believe Stacey Plaskett has issued a statement as it relates to this, and her statement speaks for itself,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis said President Donald Trump and Republican leaders should have leaned into efforts to release the Jeffrey Epstein files earlier as the House stands poised to vote to force the Justice Department to release all documents related to the case. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think it was always better to just support transparency. I mean, he is the transparency president, he\u2019s been transparent in all other matters,\u201d she told CNN on Monday. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the vote does come up, you\u2019ll see an overwhelming number of members from both parties vote in the side of transparency, and I think that\u2019s the right thing to do, as long as we can protect the victims,\u201d she continued, later adding, \u201cI think that we just want to put this issue to rest, offer transparency to the American people. And I think you\u2019ll see that happening when the vote comes up.\u201d <\/p>\n

Within the last 24 hours, the president has changed his tune on the Epstein files, which he previously called a \u201cDemocratic hoax,\u201d saying he would sign a bill to force the release of the documents if it reaches his desk. <\/p>\n

The House was out of session for weeks during the government shutdown as Speaker Mike Johnson put pressure on the Senate to pass a stopgap funding bill. Many questioned if Johnson was keeping lawmakers out of town and refusing to swear in a newly elected Democratic congresswoman to avoid an imminent Epstein vote. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think it should just come up,\u201d Malliotakis said, urging a quick vote on the bill and release of the files. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"President<\/picture> <\/div>\n

It\u2019s been another busy day in Washington with President Donald Trump weighing in again on the release of the Department of Justice case files on Jeffrey Epstein. <\/p>\n

The president today said he would sign a bill to make the files public if it reaches his desk, reaffirming a stark reversal <\/a>from his efforts to discredit the effort. <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a recap of what he said about Epstein and other topics: <\/p>\n

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