then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein were briefly drowned out at a press conference by a noisy flyover organized by Donald Trump.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna held a press conference with survivors of Epstein’s abuse on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday morning.
Survivors shared their stories and urged lawmakers to support a discharge petition that would force the release of all Epstein files.
- Donald Trump organized a loud fighter jet flyover that disrupted Epstein survivors' press conference on Capitol Hill.
- Epstein survivors revealed that Epstein bragged about his close friendship with Donald Trump, showing his framed photo.
- Trump called the Epstein documents release a 'Democratic hoax,' despite bipartisan calls for transparency.
- Republican Reps. Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, and Lauren Boebert support the petition to fully release the Epstein files.
A fighter jet flyover interrupted Jeffrey Epstein survivors on Capitol Hill
Image credits: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
At the same time, Trump was meeting with Polish President Karol Nowrocki at the White House.
The president organized a flyover of F-16 and F-35 fighter jets to honor a fallen Polish army pilot who died while rehearsing for an airshow in Radom, Poland, last month.
As the fighter jets boomed through the sky, survivors were forced to stop speaking as they passed.
At one point, Chauntae Davies had to pause while making a point on Epstein’s relationship with Trump.
Wow. An Epstein survivor just revealed that Jeffrey Epstein’s “biggest brag” was “that he was very good friends with Donald Trump.” pic.twitter.com/Frzwx7YDMI
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) September 3, 2025
When she was able to continue, she told reporters that Epstein’s “biggest brag” was his friendship with Trump and that he had a framed picture of the president on his desk.
“Jeffrey and Ghislaine were always very boastful about their friends, their famous and powerful friends, and his biggest brag, forever, was that he was very good friends with Donald Trump,” she said.
Haley Robson also addressed Trump’s claim that the Epstein files are a Democratic hoax.
“Mr. President Donald J. Trump, I am a registered Republican, not that that matters, because this is not political. However, I cordially invite you to the Capitol to meet me in person so you can understand this is not a hoax,” she said.
WH Flyover interrupts Epstein Survivors press conference pic.twitter.com/OJsDR4y9E8
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 3, 2025
It is a claim that Trump has made as criticism of his administration’s handling of the Epstein case grows, and one he repeated during his Oval Office meeting with Nowrocki.
The president told reporters that the issue was a “Democratic hoax that never ends” and said that “nobody’s ever satisfied.”
“From what I understand, thousands of pages of documents have been given. But it’s really a Democrat hoax, because they’re trying to get people to talk about something that’s totally irrelevant to the success that we’ve had as a nation since I’ve been President,” Trump said.
“I understand that we were subpoenaed to give files, and I understand we’ve given thousands of pages of files, and I know that no matter what you do, it’s going to keep going.”
Trump called the Epstein scandal a Democratic hoax
Moments after the press conference with Epstein survivors concluded, Trump is once again calling it a “Democrat hoax,” saying the Epstein matter is “Totally irrelevant.”
Ask yourself: why is Trump so desperate to stop the American people from seeing the Epstein files? pic.twitter.com/knkdSZkkBi
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 3, 2025
Trump was referencing over 33,000 documents and videos that were released by the House Oversight Committee on Tuesday.
But Democrats and some Republicans say 97% of those files were already in the public domain, and just under 1,000 pages contain new information, with many documents heavily redacted.
“The 33,000 pages of Epstein documents James Comer has decided to ‘release’ were already mostly public information. To the American people — don’t let this fool you,” Democrat Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, said.
Image credits: The White House
“After careful review, Oversight Democrats have found that 97% of the documents received from the Department of Justice were already public. There is no mention of any client list or anything that improves transparency or justice for victims.”
The discharge petition to release the Epstein files has some bipartisan support and needs 218 votes to pass.
It already has some Republican backing, with Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene attending the survivors’ press conference and confirming she will vote with Democrats.
Republican Reps. Nancy Mace and Lauren Boebert have also confirmed they will support the petition.
With 212 Democrats supporting the move, that means that Massie and Khanna still need two other Republicans to endorse the petition.
Image credits: Matt McClain/The Washington Post via Getty Images
At the press conference Wednesday, Massie said he hoped other Republicans could “find their spines” to sign the discharge petition.
Mace on Tuesday attended a private meeting with survivors of Epstein, alongside oversight committee members such as Chairman James Comer and House Speaker Mike Johnson.
In July, Johnson adjourned the chamber early to block a vote on the release of the Epstein files, and while Comer subpoenaed the DOJ to release more files, Democrats believe he’s stalling by releasing already public information.
Mace had to leave the meeting early and was visibly upset, later posting on X that their stories had induced a panic attack.
“As a recent survivor (not 2 years in), I had a very difficult time listening to their stories. Full blown panic attack,” she said.
Survivors are compiling their own client list
🚨HUGE!! Republican Rep. Nancy Mace just DEFIED TRUMP and signed the Massie-Khanna petition to release the FULL Epstein files after she suffered a panic attack and ran out of a meeting with Epstein’s victims in tears.
Survivors are SPEAKING. Trump’s coverup is collapsing. pic.twitter.com/J6UOuSypPf
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 3, 2025
“Sweating. Hyperventilating. Shaking. I can’t breathe. I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us.”
Mace has spoken publicly about her own experience with sexual abuse, making public allegations against her ex-fiancé and four other men during a House floor speech earlier this year.
The men she accused of rape, sex trafficking and recording sex acts with her and others without consent have denied the allegations.
During Wednesday’s press conference, the survivors confirmed they were making their own client list after the DOJ said such a list does not exist.
“I would like to announce here today, us Epstein survivors have been discussing creating our own list. We know the names. Many of us were abused by them,” Lisa Phillips said.
Image credits: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
“Now together, as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know, who were regularly in the Epstein world. It will be done by survivors and for survivors.”
When later questioned by reporters on whether the list would be released to the public, survivors said that at this stage, they did not know.
But they did tell reporters that there were already well-known names in the public domain, such as former Victoria’s Secret CEO Les Wexner.
“There are names that are very well known like that of Les Wexner, who everyone knows supplied an enormous amount of Epstein’s financial wealth that allowed this operation to happen,” Annie Farmer said.
“It’s, I think, confusing to many of us why there have not been more ramifications for him when he’s been seen to a victim when clearly, I believe there is more to it.”
Image credits: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Other high-profile friends of Epstein’s named in the media include Prince Andrew and former President Bill Clinton, among others.
Survivors detailed harrowing intimidation efforts and threatening acts against them, creating fear of speaking out and naming people involved in the abuse.
Lawyers for the group asserted that the government should be the one to release the names and added that survivors were scared of being sued or attacked, because “nobody protected them the first time.”
Greene stepped up after survivors were questioned on the intentions for the list, offering her help.
“I am not afraid to name names,” she said. “If they want to give me a list, I will walk in that Capitol, on the House floor and say every damn name … I will be proud to do this.”
Poll Question
Thanks! Check out the results:
Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls
By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!
I support the release of the files and sympathize for the victims, but four years under Biden very little said or done, Clinton had Epstein in the White House many times. Democrats in office no ask or push to release names, they talk about Trump which has little documented interaction with Epstein but not Clinton and other Democrat or left leaning rich.
I support the release of the files and sympathize for the victims, but four years under Biden very little said or done, Clinton had Epstein in the White House many times. Democrats in office no ask or push to release names, they talk about Trump which has little documented interaction with Epstein but not Clinton and other Democrat or left leaning rich.
15
1