'Big Smokescreen!' Thomas Massie Accuses Trump of 'Last-Ditch Effort' to Cover Up Epstein Files
Trump’s directive to investigate Democrats connected to Epstein prompted Massie’s accusation that the investigations could delay release of the files.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Yahoo News, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
Yahoo News is an established news platform with a named author, but this article identifies itself as having first appeared at Mediaite, so Yahoo did not originate the reporting. The available text offers limited evidence about either outlet’s corrections practices or reporting process.
- Source type — An established national news platform, though this item is reproduced from another outlet.
- Author attribution — A named author is credited.
- Transparency — The page identifies Mediaite as the article’s first publisher.
- Correction history — No corrections information is apparent in the article text.
The story provides direct, attributed quotations from Massie and identifies the interview in which he spoke. It presents no response from Trump or other perspectives and gives little context for the proposed investigations or the bill.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The story relies on Massie’s interview and reports his claims and position on releasing the files, but includes no response from Trump or other perspectives on the announced investigations.
- Source diversity — The political claims and arguments come from Massie alone.
- Counterarguments presented — Trump’s or the administration’s response is not presented.
- Loaded language — The sharpest language is attributed to Massie or quoted in the headline.
- Opinion vs reporting — The piece is presented as news reporting, not an opinion column.
The article reports Massie’s accusations and statements in a straightforward news style. Its focus on his criticism and the absence of a response from Trump limit the range of perspectives, but do not establish a clear ideological lean in the writing.
- Language tone — The account is mostly descriptive and attributes accusations to Massie.
- Source selection — Massie is the only quoted political source.
- Framing — The headline presents Massie’s accusation as an accusation rather than as an established fact.
- Omission — No response from Trump or the administration is included.
Republished with credit
Republished from Mediaite, with credit to the original publisher.
1,140 stories · 64.7–65.0 · updated Oct 13, 2026
This is Mediaite's own score, and this article is credited to Mediaite. The host score in the Source Check is Yahoo News's.
Rep. Thomas Massie accused President Donald Trump of using announced investigations into Democrats connected to Jeffrey Epstein to delay release of related files. Massie also said more than 100 House Republicans could support a bill to release the files and urged colleagues to vote for it.
In an interview with Jonathan Karl, Massie questioned whether Trump’s directive to Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Democrats connected to Epstein was an effort to prevent the release of the files. Massie argued that documents tied to ongoing investigations could not be released and said he believed Trump was trying to protect wealthy friends and donors; he also said he did not think the files would implicate Trump.
Massie said more than 100 House Republicans could vote for a bill to release the files when it reaches the floor. He urged Republicans to support release, warning that voting against it could later be seen as protecting pedophiles.
Community verdict
16 VOTESCounts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 55
- Readers of left-leaning coverage: 77% good look
- Readers of right-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
Votes cast on this page
Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0
People in this story
SWIPE →President whose directive to investigate Democrats connected to Epstein was criticized by Massie
Representative who accused Trump of trying to delay release of the Epstein files and urged Republicans to support their release
Massie's version of this story ↗Attorney General whom Trump directed to investigate Democrats connected to Epstein
Part of a bigger story
42 OUTLETSCongress passed a bill requiring the Justice Department to release Epstein-related files, with the House and Senate both approving it. Trump, who had opposed the effort, later urged Republicans to support it. Left-leaning outlets frame passage as overcoming resistance to disclosure and as a rebuke to Trump. Center outlets mainly track the votes and Trump's reversal, with some describing passage as a political rebuke. Right-leaning outlets foreground Trump's eventual backing and, in some articles, partisan conflict around the measure.
- ARTICLES
- 55
- OUTLETS
- 42
- AVG CRED
- 70
- Boulder Daily Camera · Page: Epstein case exposes divisions in MAGA unity, but for a good cause
- Jefferson City News Tribune · Republicans hyped Epstein files for years — now Trump's under pressure to deliver
- Yahoo News · Trump officials say president is plotting new wave of retribution after Epstein bill vote: 'Democrats are going to come to regret this'
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