On Memorial Day, President Donald Trump attacked several Republican lawmakers who have gone against him on key issues, including Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky. Trump called Massie a “major sleazebag” on Truth Social, saying he lost his primary “in a landslide” to a “great American Patriot.” That patriot is Ed Gallrein, a retired Navy SEAL who had Trump’s endorsement and defeated Massie in Kentucky’s Fourth Congressional District primary.
Just hours after Trump’s Truth Social post, Massie announced on X that he plans to run for Congress again in 2028. He also made a big promise, he said he would release more names of people connected to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Massie has already co-sponsored a bill that forced the release of the Epstein files, which Trump was not happy about, reports Mediaite.
Trump has been openly critical of Massie for a while now, mainly because Massie has repeatedly broken with him on issues like the Epstein files and the war with Iran. But even after losing his primary and being publicly attacked by the president, Massie is clearly not stepping back. The two have had a rocky relationship for some time, and Trump’s Memorial Day message made it clear that he has no intention of softening his stance toward the Kentucky congressman.
Massie is using his final months in office to keep pushing on the Epstein files
In an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Massie told host Kristen Welker that he would name more people connected to Epstein in the coming weeks and months. “Yes,” he said when asked directly. “We know the files have been over-redacted. I have released at least three names of billionaires who are implicated in this.”
His falling out with Trump and the media has been a long time coming, Massie’s strained relationship with Trump and major news networks had kept him off the air for 18 months before his primary loss. Massie also accused Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche of “violating the law” by not releasing all of the Epstein files as required by federal law.
He has seven months left in office before his term ends in January, and he says he plans to use that time to keep pushing the issue. It is worth noting that Massie has been one of the few lawmakers willing to publicly call out the administration on this matter, even at a significant political cost to himself.
When Welker asked if he would rule out a 2028 presidential run, Massie gave an open-ended answer. “I will not rule out anything, and right now I’m not going to rule in anything,” he said. That response leaves the door open for a possible presidential campaign on top of his announced congressional run.
Jeffrey Epstein was a financier who was arrested in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking minors. He died in jail that same year in what was ruled a suicide, though his death has been surrounded by questions and controversy. Many people have pushed for the full release of files related to his case, wanting to know which high-profile individuals were connected to him and what those connections looked like.
Massie’s decision to co-sponsor the bill forcing the release of the Epstein files was widely seen as a direct challenge to the Trump administration. Trump has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s illegal activities, and the White House has not been pleased with Massie’s continued efforts to dig deeper into the case. Despite losing his primary race, Massie appears determined to make the most of the time he has left in office.
Massie’s push to release the Epstein files has put him directly at odds with the Trump administration. But Massie has not backed down, and his promise to release more names shows he intends to keep going on this issue regardless of the political pressure he faces.
With seven months still left in his term, there is likely more to come from the Kentucky congressman before he leaves office in January. Beyond the Epstein files, Massie has also been vocal about other issues, including his criticism of Trump’s ballroom design project, which he compared to architecture from the Roman Empire.
Published: May 26, 2026 08:45 am