McCarthy: Democrats 'never' asked about Epstein files when he was House leader

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a recent interview claimed Democrats who are now seeking more details about the Jeffrey Epstein case "never once" did so while he was in charge of the GOP-led House during the Biden administration.

"They never asked about it — they tried to hide from it," McCarthy said during an appearance on Fox News's "Jesse Watters Primetime" on Thursday. "[Trump] didn't hide from this — he had the authorities investigate this."

"You know what I want? President Trump focused on exactly why we elected him, and that's what he's doing," the California Republican added, lauding Trump's economic and foreign policy since returning to the White House.

McCarthy was ousted from his leadership post in 2023 and retired weeks later from the lower chamber. In his latest remarks, the former Speaker defended the Trump administration's handling of the federal probe into Epstein, the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.

The administration has faced fallout from Democrats and the president's MAGA base since the Justice Department and FBI issued a joint memo concluding that Epstein didn't keep a client list. The finding runs counter to what Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier this year and sparked calls for greater transparency.

The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday night that Trump allegedly penned a "bawdy" 50th birthday note to the disgraced financier in 2003 before Epstein faced sex trafficking allegations and when the two were known associates. The president denied writing the message and threatened to sue the publication. 

Calls for the administration to release more documents have only grown in recent days, despite Trump's efforts to move on from the topic.

"We need total disclosure of the complete file, redacting only the names and the identities of the minor victims," Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said during an MSNBC appearance Thursday. "There is overwhelming bipartisan, popular demand, Congressional demand, to release all of this stuff."

Trump on Friday leaned into the same argument as McCarthy, asking why Democrats did not release more files when they controlled the Senate and White House.

“If there was a ‘smoking gun’ on Epstein, why didn’t the Dems, who controlled the ‘files’ for four years, and had [former Attorney General Merrick] Garland and [ex-prosecutor Maureen] Comey in charge, use it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING!!!”

McCarthy's comments come a day after the president intervened, directing Bondi to release relevant grand jury testimony in the case. In response, the attorney general said she would ask a federal court to do so.