It has been a chaotic and, at times, almost farcical week for Democrats trying — and mostly failing — to control the narrative around the newly released Jeffrey Epstein files. What began as an attempt to redirect scrutiny and sling mud at Republicans quickly unraveled into a parade of confusion, contradictions, and political self-owns.
Start with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), who went viral — and not in a good way — for claiming that multiple Republicans had received donations from a Jeffrey Epstein. The problem? She didn’t bother to verify whether that Epstein was the Jeffrey Epstein — the convicted sex offender at the center of the now-public files. Crockett’s assertion collapsed under even modest scrutiny, and her efforts to defend the claim only made things worse. It was a classic case of speaking first and fact-checking never.
Kamala demanded Trump "release the files." She was in office for four years and never mentioned the Epstein files or sought their release. pic.twitter.com/sNcnz3yGkX
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) November 20, 2025
Then came the dramatic twist that should have silenced all Democratic talking points: President Donald Trump not only supported the bipartisan legislation to release the Epstein records, but he signed it into law on Wednesday. That move stripped away any lingering Democrat argument that Republicans were obstructing transparency. In fact, it was Trump himself who initiated the original 2019 charges against Epstein, and under his administration, the DOJ had already made several disclosures to Congress.
Yet Vice President Kamala Harris appeared oddly disconnected from the timeline. In a tone-deaf move, Harris publicly urged Trump to release the files — mere hours before he was scheduled to sign the very bill that would do exactly that. Her statement not only ignored Trump’s public support for the legislation but bizarrely praised his power as head of the executive branch — a power she and President Biden have held for nearly four years without releasing the documents themselves.
That’s the crux of it. If transparency were a true Democratic priority, why didn’t the Biden administration act while it had full control of the files? As Fox News’ Brit Hume noted this week, Harris had four years and the full power of the White House. Yet, “we never heard a peep… from her or from Joe Biden about doing that.” Suddenly, now that Trump’s back in a position of leadership and influence, they’ve rediscovered their urgency?
WATCH: Fox’s @brithume calls out Kamala Harris after she calls for the release of the Epstein Files: “She was VP for four years and part of an administration that had control of those files and we never heard a peep that I can remember from her or Joe Biden about that!”
“It’s… pic.twitter.com/oyDrUsZ40U
— TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) November 19, 2025
The sudden interest feels reactive, not genuine — a scramble for relevance as the political winds shift. And it’s increasingly clear that Democrats are grasping for any line of attack to slow down a Republican momentum they can’t seem to stop.
Even worse for them? The files aren’t done talking. House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer is now digging into Epstein’s financial records through JPMorgan and the Virgin Islands. Subpoenas are flying. Threats of prosecution are on the table for those refusing to comply. And yes — the long-awaited Clinton depositions are looming.
If there were any truly damaging connection between Trump and Epstein, we’d have seen it by now. Democrats have had years — years — to comb through evidence, launch investigations, and leak damaging material. Nothing’s stuck. And with the spotlight now shifting to financial records and former political allies of Epstein, including major Democratic figures, it’s no wonder the party is in full damage control.