Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), known for defying Trump’s agenda, spearheaded the push, accusing the federal government of hiding critical Epstein files. His goal? To force Maxwell to testify publicly and lay bare what she knows — no redactions, no sealed rooms, no protection for the powerful.
And according to sources who spoke with the Daily Mail, Maxwell is ready to talk.
“She would be more than happy to sit before Congress and tell her story,” one insider said. “No one from the government has ever asked her to share what she knows. She remains the only person jailed in connection with Epstein and would welcome the chance to tell the American public the truth.”
Shockingly, some of Trump’s most loyal foot soldiers — including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, James Comer, and Anna Paulina Luna — backed the move. Now, the committee is preparing to formally subpoena Maxwell and coordinate with the Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons to secure a deposition date.
If the committee follows precedent, Maxwell’s testimony could be recorded — and even televised — turning her account into a primetime reckoning.
The maneuver throws a wrench into the former president’s position. The White House, meanwhile, has reportedly resisted calls to release the full trove of Epstein files — a move that further deepens tensions between Congress, the DOJ, and the Trump-aligned GOP.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced separately that the DOJ would meet privately with Maxwell in the coming days. But Burchett is calling for total transparency — no backroom deals, no sanitized transcripts.
“This isn’t about protecting reputations,” Burchett said in a video posted after the vote. “It’s about truth. I answer to my Creator on this one.”
Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Burchett originally asked Oversight Chairman James Comer to host a public hearing with Maxwell — and now, with the committee’s vote, that vision is one step closer to reality.
“The Committee will seek to subpoena Ms. Maxwell as expeditiously as possible,” an Oversight spokesperson confirmed.
The push comes amid mounting pressure in Congress to fully expose the extent of Epstein’s crimes — and who knew what, when. Tensions boiled over this week, with House votes canceled on Thursday as lawmakers battled over how to handle the files.
The House Rules Committee, responsible for setting floor votes, has reportedly been paralyzed by Democratic efforts to force Republicans into uncomfortable votes regarding Epstein transparency.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) introduced the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), a bipartisan bill that would require the DOJ to release all Epstein-related documents — with narrow redactions only for victim privacy or national security. If passed, the DOJ would have 30 days to post the files publicly, with each redaction justified in writing.
Speaker Mike Johnson, while voicing support for transparency, also echoed Trump’s concern for protecting victims’ identities. “We have a moral responsibility to expose the evil of Epstein and everybody who was involved,” Johnson said Tuesday. “But we must not retraumatize victims in the process.”
If EFTA gathers 218 votes — and it’s already gaining traction among both parties — it could hit the House floor for a vote shortly after Congress returns from its August recess.
The stakes are high. Ghislaine Maxwell may soon speak. And if she does, it won’t just shake the political class — it may detonate it.