Division between Republican lawmakers over the Jeffrey Epstein files continued to intensify even as President Donald Trump and his administration seeks to redirect scrutiny toward the president’s political foes and the 2016 election.

Mike Johnson broke with Donald Trump by claiming the Epstein case is "not a hoax" and reiterated that he supports full transparency.

Thomas Massie (R-KY), the libertarian who has fallen out of favor with President Donald Trump and been a thorn in leadership's side, suggested Friday that GOP leaders are the ones standing in the way of the president's agenda.

On Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson adjourned the House for a month to avoid a vote on the release of the Epstein files. Johnson said that the Republicans weren’t going to be part of the “Democrats’ sideshows.

In a dramatic turn of events on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Mike Johnson has opted to adjourn the U.S. House of Representatives early for its August recess, cutting short this week’s legislative session amid escalating tensions over the release of files connected to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

At this moment of deep political division, bold ideas to preserve American democracy are more important than ever. House Speaker Mike Johnson concluded that starting summer recess early was preferable to facing votes on disclosing the Jeffrey Epstein files. Score one for the Democrats.

Newly sworn-in Republican Reps. Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis of Florida bring the partisan breakdown to 220 Republicans and 213 Democrats, one of the thinnest House majorities in history.