What's Behind Trump's Pivot on Releasing the Epstein Files?

President Donald Trump said House Republicans “should vote to release the Epstein files” on Sunday, prompting media speculation on what prompted his directive.

From The Left: CNN (Lean Left bias) reported speaking to “people familiar with the matter” who collectively concluded Trump voiced support for the effort “after it became clear that he could not halt its momentum and that he risked suffering an embarrassing blow on the House floor.” CNN called Trump’s pivot “a rare moment of retreat for a president who has made a habit of bending Washington to his will since returning to office” and said it came “after the White House privately tried and failed last week to pressure a handful of Republican lawmakers to abandon their support for the measure.”

From The Right: The Daily Mail (Right) said Trump’s “sudden pivot… was not an impulsive gamble but a tactical move” to “expose senior Democrats and his critics,” according to “White House Insiders.” One anonymous White House official said, “The President's position has not changed throughout this entire process. He has always been committed to transparency, unlike the Democrats.” Another insider said, “The votes were there, he was not going to win, why go down like that?.. He finally decided to end it on his terms.” Republican operatives reportedly told The Mail they think the release of the files will ultimately hurt the Democrats more than Trump. The Mail noted this could include former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, former President Bill Clinton, and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), who The Washington Post (Lean Left) revealed took live cues from Epstein during a congressional hearing in 2019.

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