In an exclusive interview with 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Magazine, the libertarian Republican details his clash with Donald Trump, Speaker Mike Johnson, and Attorney General Pam Bondi — and predicts growing Republican breakaways over Epstein files, tariffs, and party leadership.
WASHINGTON | Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), long viewed as a libertarian outlier inside the Republican conference, is predicting deeper fractures within the GOP as internal tensions escalate over transparency demands tied to the Jeffrey Epstein files, Trump-era tariffs, and congressional oversight.
In an exclusive interview with 'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Magazine inside his Capitol Hill office, Massie described what he views as a quiet but expanding bloc of Republicans increasingly willing to defy President Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson.
The warning comes at a time when the Republican majority in the House remains razor-thin, amplifying the influence of even a handful of dissenters.
Epstein Files Transparency Fight Intensifies
Massie has become one of the most visible Republican voices pressing the Department of Justice to release and unredact documents connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
He claims roughly 3 million files have already been released, and credits sustained public pressure and congressional oversight for incremental disclosures.
The Kentucky lawmaker clashed sharply with Attorney General Pam Bondi during a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, criticizing what he described as inconsistent redactions and DOJ missteps.
“When the attorney general is reduced to a stack of pre-prepared insults,” Massie said, “and the DOJ is responding to my every tweet with additional unredactions, I don’t think I’m going to change what I’m doing just yet.”
While he has floated the possibility of contempt proceedings, Massie indicated he believes momentum is currently working in his favor.
Political analysts note that the Epstein issue carries bipartisan resonance, complicating efforts to frame it as a purely partisan fight.
Trump, Johnson, and the Limits of Party Discipline
Massie has also defied Trump and House leadership on tariff legislation and procedural votes — a move that has reportedly drawn millions in outside spending into his primary race.
Still, he appears undeterred.
He describes a growing “retirement caucus” and primary-season calculations that could embolden more Republicans to break ranks.
“There’s rubber stamp fatigue,” Massie said. “Nobody runs for Congress to be the class rubber stamp.”
The congressman argues that members nearing retirement or safely past primary challenges may feel freer to assert independence.
Such defections could carry significant implications for legislative priorities in 2025, particularly on trade policy, oversight battles, and budget negotiations.
Massie’s comments underscore deeper questions facing the Republican Party:
- How durable is Trump’s leverage over House Republicans?
- Will transparency battles over Epstein files reshape oversight politics?
- Can GOP leadership maintain unity amid thin margins and primary pressures?
Though Massie remains a minority voice within the conference, his influence is magnified by math: in a narrow majority, two or three votes can shift outcomes.
Whether his prediction materializes may hinge on upcoming primary calendars, continued public scrutiny of DOJ disclosures, and the political appetite for confrontation inside the GOP.
For now, Massie is signaling that the internal struggle is far from over.
“We still have steam,” he said.
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-- By Michele Robinson
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