Mike Johnson says he’ll back release of Epstein files while calling House vote a ‘desperate attempt’ by Democrats – US politics live

4.38pm GMT Johnson announces he will back vote to release Epstein files, but says it does not adequately protect victims Today, Mike Johnson said he would support the vote to release the full trove of justice department files on Jeffrey Epstein. “I’m going to vote to move this forward. I think it could be close to a unanimous vote, because everybody here, all the Republicans, want to go on record to show your maximum transparency,” he said. “I sincerely hope my Democrat colleagues will show the same level of urgency and enthusiasm when it comes to tackling the real issues facing we got to get to.” However, one of Mike Johnson’s frequent criticisms of the discharge petition is that, he says, it fails to protect victims and redact child abuse materials. The House speaker added he spoke to the Senate’s leader, John Thune, and he’s “very confident” that the upper chamber “will take the time methodically to do what we have not been allowed to do in the House, to amend this discharge position, and to make sure these protections are there.” Earlier, Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican co-leading the discharge petition to compel a vote on the House floor, said this is a “red herring”, and “survivors have always been in favor of this legislation”. Massie said that Johnson is “trying to save face after opposing this [petition]”. An amendment in the Senate would mean the bill pinballs back to the House, delaying its possible passage. Updated at 4.45pm GMT 4.21pm GMT Move to release Epstein files is 'political show vote', says speaker Johnson House speaker Mike Johnson said that the move to release the justice department files on Jeffrey Epstein is a “political show vote”. Earlier, we noted that Johnson said he would back the bill, according to Axios. “Democrats are trying to use the Epstein matter as a political weapon to distract from the own party’s failures, and in a desperate attempt to try to somehow tie President Trump to the scandal,” Johnson said at a press conference today. The House speaker has maintained that the oversight committee’s ongoing investigation into Epstein is yielding sufficient results. “They’re already producing far more than the discharge petition anticipates,” he said, citing the roughly 65,000 documents produced, which include records from the disgraced financier’s estate. Updated at 4.23pm GMT 3.57pm GMT Trump to welcome Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman to White House shortly Donald Trump will welcome Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader to the White House shortly. My colleague, Lucy Campbell, will be covering the latest developments. This will be the first trip by Mohammed bin Salman, widely known as MBS, to the US since the 2018 killing of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul, which triggered global outrage. It will also be his first trip during Trump’s second term in office. US intelligence concluded that MBS approved the capture or killing of Khashoggi. The crown prince denied ordering the operation but acknowledged responsibility as the kingdom’s de facto ruler. During a day of White House diplomacy, MBS will hold talks with Trump in the Oval Office, have lunch in the Cabinet Room and attend a formal black-tie dinner in the evening. Trump hopes to cash in on a $600bn Saudi investment pledge made during his visit to the kingdom in May. A senior White House official told Reuters that US-Saudi deals on technology, manufacturing, defence and more are expected. You can follow along below. Related: Donald Trump to host Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman at White House - live updates Updated at 3.58pm GMT 3.30pm GMT 'American people won't tolerate any other bullshit,' says Marjorie Taylor Greene Georgia congresswoman, Marjorie Taylor Greene, noted today that the fissure within the GOP over the Epstein files has been “one of the most destructive things to Maga”. “The only thing that will speak to the powerful, courageous women behind me is when action is actually taken to release these files,” she added. “The American people won’t tolerate any other bullshit.” A reminder that Greene is in the midst of her own battle with Donald Trump, to whom she was an ardent loyalist. The president has branded her a “traitor” after she signed the discharge petition to compel a House vote on the release of the justice department’s records on Epstein. 3.16pm GMT House speaker Johnson to back bill to release Epstein files - report Republican speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, is set to back the vote to release the full trove of justice department files on Jeffrey Epstein, according to Axios. They cite a source in the room during Tuesday’s GOP conference meeting. The speaker has said he wants further protection for victims, which would require an amendment in the Senate, and for the House to vote on it again. Although the bill, as it stands, redacts names of victims and examples of child abuse within the files. “The important thing about the Senate is that they need not to muck this bill up,” Republican congressman Thomas Massie said. 2.58pm GMT 'These survivors are not political tools for you to use,' says Virginia Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts, the brother of one of Epstein’s most prominent victims, Virginia Giuffre, implored lawmakers to “stop talking and act”. Giuffre died by suicide in April, after years of speaking out about the abuse she endured. “My sister is not a political tool for you to use. These survivors are not political tools for you to use. These are real stories, real trauma,” Roberts said today. “We will not let Virginia’s fight be in vain together. We will not let the predators win together.” 2.38pm GMT Speaking now is one of Epstein’s survivors, Danielle Bensky. She notes that she was recruited in 2004, when the late sex offender “trapped her in a year-long cycle of abuse” after threatening to “withhold care” for her mother who was living with a brain tumor. “I am calling for the American people. You have homework. Call your congressional leaders. Call your senators. Please support this bill. Let’s get it all released,” she said. 2.17pm GMT Taking the podium today, Marjorie Taylor Greene jokes that she never expected to be standing alongside these particular colleagues, fighting for the same cause. “I woke up this morning and I turned to my weather app to check the temperature, and it was 32 degrees, and my first thought was, hell has froze over,” she said. “These women have fought the most horrific fight that no woman should have to fight, and they did it by banding together and never giving up,” Greene added. She also made reference to her fallout with the president over this issue. “I’ve never owed him anything, but I fought for him, for the policies and for America first, and he called me a ‘traitor’ for standing with these women and refusing to take my name off the discharge petition,” the lawmaker from Georgia said. 2.07pm GMT Speaking today, progressive Democrat Ro Khanna thanks his colleagues, Republicans Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene. He particularly notes the pushback that the latter faced. “There was so much pressure against her,” Khanna said. “But she stood with the survivors.” He added: “I expect an overwhelming vote in the House of Representatives, and I don’t want the DC swamp playing any games. They need to pass this in the Senate. They should not amend it. President Trump has said he would sign the Epstein Transparency Act.” 2.00pm GMT Epstein survivors to speak on Capitol Hill as House prepares to vote on complete release of justice department files Several survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are set to speak outside the US Capitol shortly. They’re joining the congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat, and Republican representative Thomas Massie – who co-led the bipartisan effort to force a House floor vote for the complete release of justice department files on Epstein. Also speaking today is congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican who has been one of Trump’s most loyal allies in Congress. In recent days, she’s found herself on the receiving end of the president’s wrath while pushing for the release of the files. 1.47pm GMT The Harvard professor and economist Larry Summers said he would be stepping back from public life after documents released by the House oversight committee revealed email exchanges between Summers and the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who called himself Summers’ “wing man”. Politico reported on Monday that Summers, a former treasury secretary, expressed deep regret for past messages with Epstein. “I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused,” he told Politico in a statement. “I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr Epstein. While continuing to fulfill my teaching obligations, I will be stepping back from public commitments as one part of my broader effort to rebuild trust and repair relationships with the people closest to me.” His comments come after lawmakers on both sides of the aisle urged companies and institutions to cut ties with Summers. Democratic senator Elizabeth Warren told CNN that Summers should be held accountable for his years-long relationship with Epstein. Summers is now the subject of a new investigation that Donald Trump started last week. The US president instructed attorney general Pam Bondi to launch an inquiry into several Democrats and institutions after their names appeared in the latest tranche of documents, which included emails that seemed to suggest Trump himself might have known about Epstein’s conduct. Related: ‘Deeply ashamed’ Larry Summers steps back from public life over Epstein links 1.17pm GMT Per our earlier post about Trump’s meeting with Mohammed bin Salman, that is due to start at 11am ET, with a formal welcome to the White House. The two will then sit for a bilateral meeting at 11:45am, and we’ll be providing the latest updates as they happen. That will lead to a lunch at 2pm, which is closed to the press. In the evening, the crown prince will return, this time for dinner in the East Room with the president and first lady. 1.05pm GMT ICE operation expanding across North Carolina Federal immigration agents are widening their crackdown in the state to include the city of Raleigh, the Democratic mayor of the state’s capital has said. The operation began on the weekend in Charlotte, with federal agents swooping on and arresting more than 130 people in a blitz across the city. Agents were expected to move into Raleigh on Tuesday. The operations in North Carolina follow those launched in Los Angeles and Chicago – both deep blue cities run by nationally prominent officials who have openly criticised the White House. Updated at 2.59pm GMT 12.19pm GMT Trump hosting Saudi prince for first time since Khashoggi killing The other big event for Trump today is the official visit of Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has been welcomed back at the White House for the first time since the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. US-Saudi relations deteriorated after Khashoggi’s brutal killing. He had been a fierce critic of the kingdom; US intelligence concluded that bin Salman had most likely ordered state agents to kill him. But seven years later, and with Saudi Arabia a critical ally to the US in the Middle East, Trump has smoothed over that dark chapter in the relationship. In May, he made Riydah the first stop of his tour to the Gulf States where he signed a $142 billion arms deal. And today’s he’s prepared a lavish welcome for the prince at the White House- rolling out the red carpet with a fly-by, gun salute and a gala dinner. “We’re more than meeting,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Friday when asked about the visit. “We’re honoring Saudi Arabia, the Crown Prince.” We can expect deals on defence and nuclear. Trump has made a priority of boosting ties with the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, and said on Monday he would sell coveted F-35 stealth fighters to Saudi Arabia, despite concerns from Israel. He’s also expected to sign a deal on a framework for civilian nuclear cooperation, AFP reported, and push Prince Mohammed to normalise relations with Israel after the war in Gaza. Saudi Arabia yesterday was one of the key Arab states backing the UN Security Council’s US-drafted resolution which endorses an International Stabilisation Force to be deployed to Gaza. Updated at 12.22pm GMT 11.47am GMT House set to vote on release of Epstein documents after Trump U-turn In July, Democratic congressmen Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie turned to an arcane procedural tactic known as a discharge petition to circumvent House leadership and compel a vote on their bill, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, if a majority of the 435-member House signs on. House speaker Mike Johnson went to extraordinary lengths to avoid a vote on the the measure, which splintered his conference. Democrats accused the speaker of delaying the swearing-in of Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva to prevent her from becoming the decisive 218th signatory. She signed her name to the petition moments after being sworn in last week. Following Trump’s reversal, several House Republicans, including close allies of the president, have publicly stated their intent to vote for the release of the files, meaning the measure could pass unanimously. If the House passes the resolution, it would move to the Senate, which would also need to vote on it before sending it to Trump to sign. Republican Senate majority leader John Thune’s office declined to comment on what he planned to do about the bill. In an interview with Pod Save America on Monday, Khanna, the California congressman leading the push in the House, said he now expects the measure to move “quickly” through the Senate. In an X post directed to Trump on Monday, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer wrote: “Let’s make this easier. Just release the files now.” Related: House set to vote on release of Epstein documents after Trump U-turn 11.19am GMT What to know about the US House vote on releasing the Epstein files The bill, if enacted, would require the justice department to release all unclassified materials on the disgraced financier, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. An emphatic vote in favour of the bill seems inevitable, and after Trump changed his mind on the weekend, several other Republicans could join their party colleagues in voting for the bill. But there are still other hurdles before the files see the light of day. The bill would go before the Senate, where the Republican majority leader, John Thune, has not committed to holding a vote. However, an overwhelming House vote in favour could make it morally difficult for the Senate to refuse to stage a vote. Sixty out of the chamber’s 100 senators would need to back it, to overcome the Senate’s filibuster rule. The bill then goes to the president’s desk. Trump told reporters on Monday that he would sign it if it arrived on his desk, but he does have veto powers. A presidential veto can be overcome but it’s a significant barrier. Related: House set to vote on release of Epstein documents after Trump U-turn 11.00am GMT This is one of the emails released last week by Democrats which have put attention back on Trump and his history with Epstein. In it, Epstein wrote that Trump “knew about the girls”. In another email, Epstein wrote that Trump “spent hours” with one of the victims at his house, and another email referred to the president as “dirty.” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have said the messages “raise serious questions about Donald Trump and his knowledge of Epstein’s horrific crimes.” 10.44am GMT Trump and Epstein's history Trump’s friendship with Epstein has been a long-running scandal in American politics as the late disgraced financier had links to many other rich and powerful figures in the US and overseas. Trump had previously said that he fell out with Epstein years before the convictions and he’s helped fan the conspiracies. As a candidate seeking re-election, he also promised to release the files on Epstein, who, investigators concluded, killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019. Since resuming office so far though, Trump has failed to follow through. As president, he has the authority to order the justice department to release the documents in its possession, as he has previously done with the government records related to the assassinations of Martin Luther King and John F Kennedy. Updated at 11.33am GMT 10.39am GMT Trump's sudden Epstein files reversal The president’s dramatic shift came after it became increasingly apparent that the bill will pass the House, most likely with significant support from Republican lawmakers. Trump and House speaker Mike Johnson changed their approach from outright opposition to declarations of indifference. “I DON’T CARE!” Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT.” Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said he did not want the Epstein scandal to “deflect” from the White House’s successes, and claimed it was a “hoax” and “a Democrat problem”. “We’ll give them everything,” he told reporters. “Let the Senate look at it, let anybody look at it, but don’t talk about it too much, because honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us.” The issue has become a rare weak spot for the president with his supporters. An October poll showed just four in 10 approved of his handling of the matter, compared with the nine in 10 who approve of his overall performance. Updated at 11.31am GMT 10.34am GMT Good morning and welcome to the US politics live blog. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is due to vote on the release of investigative files related to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It’s the latest move in a scandal that has dogged Donald Trump since his return to the White House. Trump initially had resisted the release of more files, but changed his stance on the weekend, urging Republican lawmakers in a message on TruthSocial to “vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide.” I’m Frances Mao and I’ll bring you the latest news lines on this and other stories over the coming hours.