For much of the last decade, Donald Trump was able to get whatever he wanted or needed from House Republicans, through praise, flattery, threats, or all of the above, in some combination.
Trump had the House Republican conference wrapped around his finger. House Republicans were terrified of Trump because he could end their careers with a harsh word and a primary against them.
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While House members are perpetually running for office, Trump had a group of lawmakers who needed him and couldn’t afford to upset him.
The political reality of Donald Trump, almost 80 years old and term-limited, is very different. In 2025, Trump will no longer wield the same influence and power as he did in 2017.
Donald Trump is term limited. Everyone knows it. One of Trump’s main weapons for keeping Republicans in line has been the main threat, but in a few months the 2026 primary season will be over, as will much of the president’s influence over his party’s parliamentary majority.
When the history of this present era is written, the Epstein files could well be a key moment.
Trump supporters have for years demanded the release of Epstein’s entire files because they are convinced the files are filled with Democratic sex criminals.
In 2024, Trump promised his supporters that he would release the files if he won, but after his victory, he changed his mind and did everything in his power to block the release of the files.
The same right-wing conspiratorial mindset that Trump stoked when he rose to power backfired in the Epstein files.
When a bipartisan discharge petition was launched to force a vote on legislation requiring disclosure of records, the co-sponsor was Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Massie was joined by Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.
After Democrats won a special election in Arizona, they finally got enough votes when the entire caucus joined with the four Republicans to force a vote on the Epstein files.
The House finally resumed its work on Wednesday and Trump went out of his way to try to get a House Republican to remove his name from the petition, because once the petition is presented to the House, the names are locked and cannot be removed.
Trump tried all his usual pressure tactics, but this time they backfired.
Find out how Trump’s pressure campaign hurt him below.