Jeffries blasts Trump over Epstein: 'Pedophile protection program'

House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries on Monday excoriated the Trump administration over its handling of the Epstein case.

House Democrats have attempted to capitalize on voter frustration with the case and many have backed a resolution from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., to force the release of government files on the case. The resolution currently has one too few backers to force a House vote. Jeffries, specifically, took issue with House Speaker Mike Johnson's refusal to seat Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., contending that he was doing so to prevent the resolution from gaining enough support to force a vote.

“The Trump administration and Mike Johnson are running a pedophile protection program,” Jeffries said, according to The Hill. “That’s what they’ve been doing, and that’s the reason why they refuse to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, for weeks now.”

Grijalva is the daughter of late Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. She won a special election in September and is expected to back Massie's resolution, which would force lawmakers to vote on releasing the Epstein files, on record.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.