President Trump's stunning reversal on the "Epstein files" discharge petition has undercut months of work by Speaker Mike Johnson.
Why it matters: The Epstein issue has plagued the House since the summer. Now the speaker is about to suffer a clear defeat over Reps. Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna's (D-Calif.) discharge petition.
- Johnson cut the week short before the August recess after Democrats forced multiple votes on releasing the files. He then kept the House out of session for nearly two months — a move that, intentionally or not, delayed the discharge petition from reaching the floor.
- "What I am opposed to is the reckless disregard that was used in drafting this discharge petition," Johnson told reporters on Wednesday.
But on Sunday, Trump reversed months of calls to block an Epstein vote, saying Republicans should vote for it. On Monday, he said he'd sign the bill.
- Tuesday's vote is expected to pick up significant GOP support, including from Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP leadership.
Zoom in: Johnson's posture about the legislation hasn't changed, a source familiar with his thinking told Axios.
- But after months of railing against it, he opened the door Monday to supporting it.
- "My support will be conditioned upon an agreement in the Senate that if indeed they process it, they've got to fix the terrible provisions in it," Johnson told reporters, adding that he hasn't worked to kill the bill.
Between the lines: Johnson opposed the effort since its inception and privately urged his members to stay clear of it.
- He's called the petition "moot," arguing that the House Oversight Committee's investigation into late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will yield more information.
- He's insisted the bill does not adequately protect Epstein's victims, though it directs the DOJ to redact identifying details and child sexual abuse materials.
The bottom line: Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) predicted the vote would be 400 something to zero.
