Mike Pence says "the time has come" to release the Epstein files

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: July 16, 2025 / 7:58 PM EDT


Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday called on the Trump administration to release all records related to Jeffrey Epstein's prosecution and alleged co-conspirators, saying "the time has come" for transparency while emphasizing that the names of victims should be protected.

"I think the time has come for the administration to release all of the files regarding Jeffrey Epstein's investigation and prosecution," Pence said in an interview with CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett. "It's important that we protect the names of the victims. They should be excluded from any disclosure."

His remarks come as President Trump has taken a sharply different tone. In the Oval Office on Wednesday, Mr. Trump dismissed the scrutiny surrounding Epstein's associates as politically motivated. "It's a big hoax," Mr. Trump said. "It's started by Democrats. It's been run by the Democrats for four years." He claimed the matter was being pushed by "some stupid Republicans" doing Democrats' work. In a Truth Social post earlier in the day, Mr. Trump wrote that the "Jeffrey Epstein Hoax" is being used by "past supporters" who had been "conned by the Lunatic Left" and declared, "I don't want their support anymore."

Pence pushed back on the claim that the matter is politically driven. "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."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-pence-on-jeffrey-epstein-files-trump/

[BoRaGard]

1. I like Mike

for saying that.

Otherwise, forget about it.

[Escurumbele]

34. He can go to hell, if he was still vice-president he would be licking trump's shoes and saying the opposite.

He was a tool and is just trying to make himself relevant. FU Mike Pence!

[BoRaGard]

35. Better to have uttered than to have shuttered

America needs to finally get it about the GOP pedos, pervos, and griftos.

[democratsruletheday]

36. LOL....he's such a TOOL

and that's putting it kindly. Who gives a rat's ass what that clown has to say

[BOSSHOG]

2. The time has come for impeachment

All that’s needed is a Republican spine, courage, integrity, desire to do the right thing, love of Country. Easy stuff actually.

[Katinfl]

13. As much as I would like to see that happen, what would change?

The Senate would never vote to convict so we would be right back where we started.

[Hugin]

3. The files on Jeffrey Epstein and the Epstein Files are two distinctly different things.

I am sure Pence is aware of this distinction and it’s not what the Queeew want.

But, the weasel wording doesn’t stop there…

Mike “The reason JD Vance doesn’t leave home without a team of paramedics” Pence also stresses protecting the victims. Jeffrey Epstein is widely accused of extortion and in that light the Tangeranus could be seen as a victim. As jaw dropping as it sounds, Pence is advocating selectively redacting any mention of the victims or at least a subjective group of who the DOJ would consider victims. So, it’s calling for the Mueller Files on steroids.

[FakeNoose]

32. Many of Epstein's victims have already come forward in a class action lawsuit

Actually I may be thinking of Ghislaine Maxwell's victims, but isn't that the same thing? Those young girls are now grown women in their 30's and 40's, and they totally resent the way they were victimized by Epstein and Maxwell. In some cases it was just Epstein because Maxwell split with him after the 2008 Florida conviction.

If DoJ wants to turn the victims' names in "Jane Doe#1", "Jane Doe#2", etc. I believe that has already been done.

[FalloutShelter]

4. The Walrus has spoken

The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
Of Jeff Epstein and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings."
( with apologies to Lewis Carroll)

[bucolic_frolic]

5. They cannot release them

It would reveal too much about their business model. Meaning, the way they use leverage for discipline.

[twodogsbarking]

6. It is what Mother wants.

[BootinUp]

17. Mother's revenge!

[Javaman]

7. the sentient houseplant states the obvious.

Mikey is good at that.

[BaronChocula]

26. Don't you love the way he thinks he's driving the wagon

while he's actually being dragged behind it, clasping on to the rear for dear relevance.

[gordianot]

8. Pence has a deep gripe against Trump attempted murder does that to people.

Pence is still a prick self preservation and hatred of your tormentor are not enough.

[kerouac2]

9. By now, how can you trust the info

They have control of the information they release. Controlling info and delivering misinfo is what they do.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Some of the tech sites were able to confirm that the release of the purported "raw video"

of Epstein in the prison, had 3 minutes removed based on their analysis of digital info encoded in the video.

[kerouac2]

18. Yet we would believe any list they released?

What a mess

[BumRushDaShow]

19. I don't think "we" (Democrats) care

It's the MAGat and QAnon loons who were convinced over the past almost 10 years, that Democrats were involved in a "pedo-ring", which lead to that whole "pizza-gate" nonsense in 2016 and attempting to link Hillary Clinton to it. And with Bill being in pics with Epstein (while they ignored 45's pics with him), they had a whole story concocted and wanted all the characters revealed.

But alas!

[mucifer]

10. If the list does come out

The names on it will be Biden Harris Carter AOC Bernie


That’s my prediction. They will make up a fake list

[BumRushDaShow]

12. It's too late for that now because IF they do that

then they would be considered as being "guilty of being part of the 'deep state'" because they WAITED to "release" such info, and were therefore "covering up" what they had about "the enemy".

In other words, they missed the timing.

Some of the MAGat followers of Bannon are already calling 45 "part of the deep state" now.

[mucifer]

15. I hope you are right. But, they have a short attention span and it is a cult.

They believe what they are told.

It would be amazing if this causes a lot of them to be deprogrammed . But, I have my doubts.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. When Bondi arrogantly declared back in February

that she "had the files" on her desk and was preparing to release them, and then when she finally did release files, they were mainly the same stuff that had already been released. However that is when she could have slid in some doctored info but she didn't.

Whatever she saw was probably too horrifying and damning that she has now found herself stuck in her own "MAGat Roach Motel".

[yardwork]

21. I think it's being used to blackmail people.

The strategy makes sense when you think about Trump's typical behavior. I think it went like this:

1. Trump and minions wave "the list" around, talk about how shocking it is, and promise to release it soon.

2. Trump and minions go to many of the people on the list and say "Let's make a deal. I won't release your name if you give me... (money, business deals, etc.)"

3. Trump and minions tell the public "Never mind. The list is a bore. Let's move on." The public demands to see it.

4. Trump and minions are now telling their blackmail marks "Keep paying or we'll release it. We're getting a lot of pressure to release it. Pay more."

The minute a list is released the power goes away.

He won't release it until its power is drained but the more people call for it to be released the more powerful it is as a blackmail tool.

Trump is reveling in this.

[BumRushDaShow]

23. It could be

but it seems the D.C. Madam's "little black book" may have had more of those elected officials in it than this. It seems Epstein's "crowd" was a bit more "high end" and probably included celebrities and sports figures (and perhaps even the corporate owners/CEOs of various businesses).

[yardwork]

27. Those are wealthy people with power to help Trump.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. Yes.

I expect that just as you heard about the P-Diddy "Freak Offs" during his trial, that kind of stuff and worse was going on at Epstein's Island "parties", but for "higher end" folks.

[yardwork]

29. Yep. Some rich people do horrible things because they can.

[thought crime]

24. Mainly Bill Clinton, but Trump will be missing

They will have Clinton's name in big gold letters, but Trump will not be mentioned, even though he was a star of the Epstein Show.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. It's too late.

There were already pics of Clinton released publicly for years and if they were going to manufacture a list, that would have needed to have been included in the February/March Bondi release of what she supposedly had.

They were looking for MORE and they are suddenly not getting "more".

And now when 45 has called it all a "hoax", he made his base and especially the QAnon adherents as well as the RW media loons who made $$$ off of peddling the CT for 10 years, look like fools.

[BootinUp]

14. LOL. nt

[yardwork]

20. Trump is using the unreleased list to blackmail people.

It's the only reason that makes sense.

As long as the list isn't released, it's a powerful tool. He says to the people on it: "I won't release your name if you give me... money, business deals, votes in Congress, etc."

The minute a list is released Trump loses all that power and leverage. Trump likes power.

[usonian]

22. once the victims' names are protected

"victims" means the rich bastards whose wealth puts them above the law in the capitalist church.
"Thou Shalt Not Hold the Wealthy Accountable"

Two graphics:

[Justice matters.]

25. K&R

IOW, the wild wild west without any sheriff in town.

[FakeNoose]

31. I love these visuals, especially the Libertarian one

Wish I could rec this a thousand times.

Instead I'll probably "steal" it.

[usonian]

33. Steal away

The first I found on the internet.

The second is a mash-up from stuff I found (the images) but the rest is original and Creative Commons, use, share.

It's part of the "mostly original" FAFO collection, here. Same rules.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100219770873