President Donald Trump on Sunday evening changed course on his previous opposition to a resolution ordering the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
After previously speaking out against the Democrat-led discharge petition, Trump is now calling on his party to vote for the resolution when it comes up this week.
Last week, the House returned to Capitol Hill for the first time in eight weeks to vote on a measure to end the government shutdown.
Shortly before that vote, Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) was sworn in, becoming the 218th signature on a discharge petition requiring the Department of Justice to release the files on Epstein’s case.
Four Republicans, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), have signed onto the effort.
Following Grijalva’s swearing-in, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said that a vote on the measure would be held this week.
Lawmakers like Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a leading proponent of the discharge petition, had predicted mass defections on the vote among Republicans.
Some Republicans, like retiring Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), had already stated that they would back the vote when it came to the floor.
