House Speaker Mike Johnson clarified on Monday that he did not intend to imply in a recent interview that former President Donald Trump was or was not an FBI informant in the case involving the notorious financier Jeffrey Epstein. “I don’t know if I used the right word,” Johnson stated. “I said FBI informant. I’m not sure — I wasn’t there. This isn’t my lane. I’m just repeating what is common knowledge and has been out in the public for a long time: President Trump was never a hindrance to the Epstein investigation. He was trying to assist in that.”
Johnson sparked significant controversy last Thursday when he claimed in an interview that Trump had acted as an FBI informant “trying to take this down.” He expressed that the former president has deep empathy for the victims who suffered at the hands of Epstein, emphasizing that the situation is “detestable” to Trump. “We spoke about this as recently as 24 hours ago,” he added.
In the same breath, Johnson insisted that Trump does not consider Epstein’s actions a hoax and views them as “a terrible, unspeakable evil.” A spokesperson from Johnson’s office later mentioned that Johnson was merely echoing the sentiments of the victims’ attorney, noting that Trump, who had previously expelled Epstein from Mar-a-Lago, was one of the few willing to aid prosecutors in exposing Epstein as a child predator.
Johnson, a Republican, has faced criticism from Democrats and some Republican colleagues for allegedly trying to block a vote aimed at releasing comprehensive Epstein-related documents.
In a related development, the House Oversight Committee has acquired the so-called “Birthday Book,” which reportedly contains a note from Trump that he claims does not exist. Representative Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California, stated, “It’s time for the President to tell us the truth about what he knew and release all the Epstein files. The American people are demanding answers.” Democrats on the committee shared a photo online of what they allege is a birthday message Trump wrote for Epstein. In response, Trump has vehemently denied the existence of such a message and has filed lawsuits against the Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, concerning reports detailing the alleged note.
Garcia mentioned that Oversight Democrats are meticulously reviewing the contents of the book and other documentation to uncover the full implications. He warned that those involved in the exploitation of young women and girls, regardless of their power or connections, will be held accountable.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/mike-johnson-trump-fbi-informant-in-jeffrey-epstein-case-says-he-misspoke-10238337/
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Publish Date: 2025-09-09 01:37:00
