House Adjourns Early Amid Epstein Files Release Standoff

House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly ended the week's legislative session early, sending the House into summer recess to avoid contentious votes on releasing files related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The move came amid bipartisan efforts, led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, to force a floor vote compelling the Justice Department to make Epstein-related documents public. Johnson accused Democrats of politicizing the issue and stated that the Justice Department, at President Trump's direction, was already working toward transparency, citing a recent DOJ request to unseal grand jury transcripts. However, the early adjournment has paralyzed the House's ability to pass other legislation, as the House Rules Committee recessed without scheduling the contentious votes. Despite Johnson's stance, momentum continues to build for disclosure, with over 20 bipartisan co-sponsors supporting the resolution to release the files, including several Trump allies. Johnson emphasized refusing to engage in what he called Democrats' political games while maintaining alignment with the President's approach to the matter.