Speaker Johnson's Office Retracts Trump-Epstein FBI Informant Claim, Draws 'Made Up Story' Criticism

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has faced significant backlash following a public statement suggesting former President Donald Trump acted as an FBI informant in the Jeffrey Epstein case, a claim his office later attempted to walk back. The initial assertion, made by Johnson to reporters, quickly drew widespread attention and confusion among political observers and the public. Journalist James Surowiecki sharply criticized the subsequent clarification, stating on X, formerly Twitter, that "> 'Backed off' is a nice way of saying 'Admitted he completely made up the story.'"

Johnson's original remarks Friday indicated that Trump was "horrified by the crimes committed by late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein" but added that the former president “was an FBI informant to try to take this stuff down.” This unexpected claim emerged as survivors of Epstein's abuse rallied on Capitol Hill, advocating for the release of all documents related to the Justice Department's investigation into the convicted sex offender.

On Sunday, Johnson's office sought to clarify the Speaker's comments in a statement to The Washington Post. The office asserted that Johnson was merely "reiterating what the victims’ attorney said," implying Trump was uniquely willing to aid prosecutors in exposing Epstein over a decade ago. This attempt at damage control aimed to reframe the Speaker's earlier, more direct assertion.

However, the explanation did not satisfy many observers, who viewed it as an admission of fabrication. Investor Adam Cochran publicly questioned, "Is he admitting he lied?" echoing the sentiment of many social media users. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) also weighed in, expressing bewilderment at what compelled Johnson to make such a "fantastical story for about a day."

The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing efforts in Congress to compel the Justice Department to release more files pertinent to the Epstein case. A discharge petition, championed by Rep. Massie and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), is gaining signatures in the House, aiming to force a vote that would make the government files public. The House Oversight Committee recently released a first batch of over 33,000 pages, though much of the content was already publicly known.

Donald Trump has consistently labeled the Epstein case a "Democratic hoax" and has denied close ties, stating he "threw him out of the place" years ago after an unspecified "inappropriate" incident involving Epstein hiring staff who worked for Trump. The Justice Department and FBI concluded in a July memo that Epstein did not blackmail or keep a "client list" of public figures, and confirmed his suicide in prison in 2019.