Representative Thomas Massie responded after former President Donald Trump called him a “lowlife” on Christmas for co‑authoring the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Massie said the attack was retaliation for his work for victims and used the moment to raise nearly $3,000 from more than 40 donors. The Justice Department missed the law’s Dec. 19 deadline and said it has found over one million additional Epstein‑related documents that may take weeks to process. Trump has endorsed Ed Gallrein to run against Massie in the 2026 Republican primary.
Massie Fires Back After Trump Calls Him a 'Lowlife' Over Epstein Files Push
Thomas Massie before a House vote on the release the Epstein files, on Capitol Hill in Washington DC on 18 November 2025.Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters
Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a co-author of the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, sharply responded after former President Donald Trump publicly called him a “lowlife” on Christmas for pushing the release of federal records related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie framed Trump’s attack as retaliation for fulfilling a pledge to “help victims,” and used the incident to solicit campaign donations for his 2026 re-election effort — raising nearly $3,000 from more than 40 donors within hours.
What Trump Posted
On Christmas Day, Trump posted on Truth Social dismissing congressional scrutiny of Epstein as a “scam” and singled out Massie by name, calling him “one lowlife ‘Republican’.” Massie reposted screenshots of the message to X (formerly Twitter) and urged supporters to contribute to his campaign.
“One lowlife ‘Republican’” — Donald J. Trump, Truth Social (Dec. 25)
Massie’s Response and Fundraising
Massie replied on X: “Imagine celebrating a blessed Christmas with your family … suddenly phones alert everyone to the most powerful man in the world attacking you … for fulfilling his campaign promise to help victims!” His campaign reported more than 40 donations totalling nearly $3,000 within the first two hours after his post.
Background: The Epstein Files Transparency Act
The bill co-authored by Massie, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed Congress in November and requires the federal government to release records related to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 of soliciting prostitution — including charges involving a minor — and died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex‑trafficking charges.
The Justice Department missed the law’s full deadline of Dec. 19 to complete disclosure, though it released a number of documents that day. On Wednesday, the department said it had discovered more than one million additional documents related to Epstein and cautioned that it could take “a few more weeks” to process them for public release.
Political Fallout
Trump has already endorsed retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein to challenge Massie in the 2026 Republican primary. Massie has criticized Gallrein — telling Politico he is a “failed … establishment hack” and suggesting Trump’s endorsement was driven by political panic. The exchange highlights a growing rift between Massie and the former president within the Republican Party.
On Calls For Accountability
Massie has argued that people tied to Epstein should face consequences similar to those seen in the U.K., where some prominent figures lost positions or titles amid scrutiny over Epstein links. He cited the Duke of York, who faced public fallout over his association with Epstein, as an example of accountability he believes should be applied more broadly.
The controversy underscores continuing public interest in fully accounting for Epstein’s network and the federal handling of related records, as well as the intra‑party tensions exposed by Massie’s advocacy and Trump’s reaction.
