WASHINGTON — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Tuesday that she has faced more political pressure over a petition to force a House vote on the release of Jeffrey Epstein case files than on any other issue since entering Congress.
“My signature is on that discharge petition, and there has not been another issue where I have ever received more pressure than that one, and I’m pretty much shocked by it. I can’t imagine — I’ve never understood how this is an issue,” Greene said in an interview with NewsNation’s Blake Burman on “The Hill.”
The petition seeks to compel the full release of government records related to Epstein, the financier whose death in federal custody in 2019 sparked widespread public scrutiny. Greene is one of four House Republicans to sign the measure, which could trigger a vote if it gathers enough support.
“I think when it comes to women being raped, especially when they were 14 years old, that’s pretty black and white,” she added.
Although Greene remains a loyal ally of President Trump, she has split from the broader GOP caucus on several issues during his second term, including foreign policy and the handling of Epstein-related documents. She has previously said she faced “a lot” of resistance from the White House over her support for the petition.
The Trump administration has recently come under bipartisan criticism for its management of Epstein-linked files. Lawmakers from both parties have urged greater transparency, arguing that the public has a right to know the full extent of Epstein’s political and financial connections.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday dismissed speculation that his delay in swearing in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) was connected to her anticipated signature on the petition.
“It has nothing to do with that at all. We will swear her in when everybody gets back,” Johnson said at a press conference. When asked about timing, he added, “We’ll schedule it, I guess, whenever she wants. It has nothing to do with it.”
Grijalva posted on X Monday, “The people of Southern Arizona deserve representation and I’m ready to get to work. Swear me in NOW @SpeakerJohnson!”
On Monday, President Trump told reporters he planned to speak with the Department of Justice and review the case of Ghislaine Maxwell — Epstein’s longtime associate — following the Supreme Court’s decision to decline her appeal of a 2021 sex-trafficking conviction.
