‘This is the Epstein administration’: Thomas Massie accuses Trump of protecting elite allies

Thomas Massie said billionaire allies tied to the Epstein circle are funding attacks against him, whether or not they are named in the files
PUBLISHED FEB 16, 2026
Representative Thomas Massie called President Donald Trump’s government the 'Epstein administration,' accusing him of protecting billionaire allies (Screengrab/ABCnews/YouTube)
Representative Thomas Massie called President Donald Trump’s government the 'Epstein administration,' accusing him of protecting billionaire allies (Screengrab/ABCnews/YouTube)


WASHINGTON, DC: Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) on Sunday, February 15, launched a scathing attack on President Trump, calling his administration the “Epstein administration.”

Massie told ABC’s Martha Raddatz that the president is still protecting his billionaire friends because “he’s still in with the Epstein class.”

Thomas Massie accuses Trump of blocking Epstein files

During an interview with ABC, Thomas Massie directly challenged the president’s honesty regarding the Epstein files.

Despite Trump’s claims that he would bring transparency to the case, Massie argued that the current White House is doing the opposite. “Donald Trump told us that even though, you know, he had dinner with these kinds of people in New York City and West Palm Beach, that he would be transparent. But he’s not.”



He added, “He’s still in with the Epstein class. This is the Epstein administration, and they’re attacking me for trying to get these files released.”

Massie also stated, “Look, this is about the Epstein class, the people who are funding the attacks against me. They may or may not be implicated in these files, but they were certainly rubbing shoulders with the people who are in these files. They’re billionaires who are friends with these people. And that’s what I’m up against in Washington, DC.”

Thomas Massie criticizes Pam Bondi over Epstein hearing

Massie also took aim at Attorney General Pam Bondi, describing her recent appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 18: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks to the media outside the U.S. Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. The House is currently voting on legislation that instructs the U.S. Department of Justice to release all files related to the late accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
Rep Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks to the media outside the US Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

He claimed she focused more on personal insults than on answering serious questions about the Epstein Files.

He stated, “She came with a book full of insults, one for each congressperson. She obviously had one for me. And, you know, I’ve been there when former AG Merrick Garland was there. Obviously, politically, I don’t agree with him, but he performed much better in terms of at least not looking bad. And, unfortunately, we didn’t get the answers we wanted about the Epstein Files Transparency Act from her.”

Thomas Massie accuses DOJ of hiding evidence

Furthermore, the congressman accused the DOJ of hiding evidence that had previously been available.

He claimed that significant documents, including photos that suggest ties between Epstein and the CIA, have been scrubbed or hidden from congressional view.

“The problem is they’ve taken down documents before we were able to go over to the DOJ and look at the unredacted versions. They took down some of the most significant documents. Two of them involving Virginia Giuffre’s case and other things, the picture of Epstein at, in a room where it’s got CIA written on the boxes. That’s been taken down. We want to be able to look at all these files,” he stated.

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