'Gone too far': GOP lawmakers rally around Trump after Musk raises Epstein allegations
House GOP lawmakers are accusing Elon Musk of going "too far" after he suggested President Donald Trump was "in the Epstein files."
"Hopefully we never have to answer questions about tweets like that from Elon again," said Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, calling Musk's comments "not helpful."
"Elon crossed the line today," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital,
Musk referenced late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein in relation to Trump Thursday as part of a larger tirade against the president and Republican leaders over their budget reconciliation bill.
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The tech billionaire accused Republicans of adding to the national debt — currently nearing $37 trillion — with legislation they've called Trump's "big, beautiful bill."
"Time to drop the really big bomb. [Trump] is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" Musk wrote on X. "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out."
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, said Musk had "gone too far."
"There's just no need for this," Nehls said. "Those conversations should be taking place behind closed doors."
Some Republicans argued that any damning information about Trump and Epstein would have already been revealed if it existed.
"What I would say is, if Joe Biden had Donald Trump in the Epstein logs, there's no question it would have come out during the campaign," Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. "So, I don't know what's prompting it. I think it's all unfortunate."
Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., questioned why Musk would let his young son, nicknamed "X," around Trump if he believed he was closely associated with a pedophile.
"The Biden administration would have put it out. There's nobody that Democrats hate more than Donald J. Trump, and he's handing them their lunch every day. So, I don't put much faith into it," Burchett said.
"Why would he let his kid hang out with the president if that was true? That just doesn't make any sense. And now he's calling for his impeachment. I mean, it's just going off to the deep end."
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who is leading a task force on declassifying federal investigations, including Epstein's, told reporters she did not think Musk's suggestion held water.
"Speaking to Jeffrey Epstein, I will be very specific that I do believe that if President Trump was in the Epstein files, they would have released it during the primary, and they didn't," Luna said.
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"So, the fact is, is that I do not believe that President Trump is in the Epstein files, the way that it's being implied, but either which way, this is why we continue to push for transparency."
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., however, stood apart in his answer in calling for more transparency into the Epstein files.
"Facts will bear out whatever they will," Norman said. "The Epstein files are bound to come out, and let it come out. We ought to see it. America has a right to know, just like they do with the John F. Kennedy files, the Bobby Kennedy files."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed Musk's tirade to Trump's bill, which is focused on working- and middle-class tax relief and not benefiting Musk and his companies enough.
"This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again," Leavitt said.
Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., told Fox News Digital, "I could not tell you what Elon Musk's motivations are, but I can tell you what we're going to do, which is avoid a $4 trillion tax increase on the American people.
And while it's well-known the two men were acquainted, a source familiar with the matter pointed out that Trump had kicked Epstein out of his Palm Beach Golf Club.
Trump had permanently banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago for hitting on a teenage daughter of a club member, according to a book, "The Grifter's Club."
"The administration itself released Epstein files with the President’s name included. This is not a new surprise Elon is uncovering. Everyone already knew this," the source said. "If Elon truly thought the President was more deeply involved with Epstein, why did he hang out with him for six months and say he ‘loves him as much as a straight man can love a straight man?'"
Fox News Digital has also reached out to Musk for comment via his office at Tesla.
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