Mike Pence Says 'Time Has Come' to Share Epstein Files, Adding 'Anyone' Associated with the 'Despicable Man' Deserves Scrutiny By Meredith Kile

Donald Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, has joined the growing Republican faction calling for the release of the Epstein files amid the president’s temperamental outbursts about the alleged evidence.

In an interview with CBS News on Wednesday, July 16, Pence said, “I think the time has come for the administration to release all of the files regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation and prosecution.”

While he echoed others’ concerns about protecting the names of Epstein’s alleged victims, Pence added, “I think that anyone who participated or was associated with this despicable man ought to be held up to public scrutiny. I just think we ought to get the facts to the American people, and I’ve always believed in transparency.”

After campaigning on promises that he would declassify and release more evidence related to Epstein’s 2019 child sex-trafficking case, Trump has backtracked in recent weeks, going so far as to accuse the Democrats of creating an “Epstein hoax.”

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Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel have also backpedaled on the issue following the release of a joint memo from the DOJ and FBI, which stated that their investigation into Epstein’s alleged crimes and subsequent death in prison was complete. The memo also stated the investigation found that Epstein’s long-rumored “client list” did not exist.

“My PAST supporters have bought into this ‘bull—-,’ hook, line, and sinker,” the president wrote on social media on Wednesday. “Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats’ work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore!”

Pence, however, pointed out that legal investigation into Epstein’s alleged crimes began in 2005, and has continued with both Republicans and Democrats in the White House.

“Jeffrey Epstein’s prosecution began during the Bush administration, continued through the Obama years,” he said. “I know of no reason why this administration, once the victims’ names are protected, should not release all the files on Jeffrey Epstein.”

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Pence did not endorse Trump in the 2024 presidential election and has been publicly critical in recent years of his former boss, including calling out his actions during the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“I believe that anyone who puts themselves over the constitution should never be president of the United States,” he said while launching his own short-lived presidential bid in June 2023.

Some of the president’s closest MAGA allies have also publicly called for the release of the Epstein files.

“I’m for transparency,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson in an interview released on July 15. “It’s a very delicate subject, but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it.”

Even MAGA mouthpiece Marjorie Taylor Greene has split from the president on the issue.

“I think the Department of Justice and the FBI has more explaining to do — this is Jeffrey Epstein,” the Georgia congresswoman said on the Real America’s Voice network: “This is the most famous pedophile in modern-day history, and people are absolutely not going to accept just a memo that was written that says there is no client list.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s current VP, JD Vance, joined him on the defensive on Thursday evening, decrying the most recent link between Trump and Epstein: a Wall Street Journal exclusive that revealed a lewd birthday message Trump allegedly wrote to his billionaire buddy.

“Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bulls—. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it,” Vance wrote on X. “Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?”

“Doesn’t it violate some rule of journalistic ethics to publish a letter like this without showing it to the victim of this hit piece?” Vance continued in a second post. “Will the people who have bought into every hoax against President Trump show an ounce of skepticism before buying into this bizarre story?”