Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific abuse stood with congressional Democrats, directly challenging President Trump’s claims and demanding accountability ahead of his State of the Union address, as reported by The Hill. An empty seat was reserved in the House chamber for Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an Epstein victim who tragically died by suicide last year.
These brave survivors, gathered at a news conference hosted by the Democratic Women’s Caucus, are urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Both Democrats and Republicans, along with the survivors themselves, have slammed the DOJ for dragging its feet on releasing documents, redacting information about people connected to Epstein, and even disclosing victims’ details.
Annie Farmer, one of the survivors, spoke out, saying, “Rather than apologize for this failure, this DOJ has doubled down on denial and distraction. We are tired of the games. When those we elect to office misuse their positions, it harms us all.”
The empty seat is a chilling reminder of the ongoing fight for justice
Another victim, Liz Stein, added, “Around the world, investigations have reached the powerful, but our Department of Justice and this administration have handled the release of information in a way that leaves survivors and the public asking why the United States appears reluctant to lead on accountability in a case that happened largely on our soil. The world is watching.”
A total of a dozen Epstein survivors were slated to attend President Trump’s speech, invited by more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers. Sky and Amanda Roberts, Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s brother and sister-in-law, are also attending, invited by Democratic Reps. Jamie Raskin, Suzanne Bonamici, and Suhas Subramanyam. The decision to leave a seat open for Giuffre sends a profound message.
Meanwhile, President Trump has defended his administration’s handling of the file release, claiming he’s “exonerated” by the documents. He even said earlier this month that “it’s really time” for the country to move on from the Epstein case.
However, Democratic lawmakers and Epstein victims, many of whom wore white and teal scarves as a symbol of their unity, strongly disagree. Rep. Robert Garcia, a Democrat from California, didn’t mince words. “When the president makes his speech tonight, he is going to know that looking back at him will be numerous survivors of Epstein’s abuse and that he is facilitating the single largest cover-up in modern American history,” he said to applause.
Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, made it clear that their panel’s investigation into the Epstein case is “just getting started.” Just last week, the committee deposed Les Wexner, the former CEO of Victoria’s Secret, who was listed as a co-conspirator in a 2019 FBI document but hasn’t been charged.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington, directly challenged the president. “No Donald Trump, this is not a hoax, we are not moving on from this. You have not been exonerated, nor have any of these predators,” she remarked. Jayapal specifically called for investigations into private equity investor Leon Black, New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch, and former Barclays CEO Jes Staley, all of whom had ties to Epstein.
She noted, “These courageous survivors are going to show that tonight is about their strength, about the strength of those across the country who understand that without justice, there can be no progress.”
Published: Feb 25, 2026 01:30 pm