White House aides have made it clear that no one in the administration is allowed to talk about Epstein without high-level vetting as Trump attempts to change the subject.

President Donald Trump faces ongoing questions about the Jeffrey Epstein case, overshadowing his administration's achievements.

Any time I say anything about Epstein, they’re like, ‘Why didn’t Joe Biden’s — why didn’t Joe Biden release the files?’ And this is what I say: Have you met Merrick Garland?” Tanden

Donald Trump is trying to distance himself from the Epstein scandal amidst criticism of his administration's handling of the investigation.

During Mr. Trump's first term, his labor secretary, Alexander Acosta, resigned following criticism of his handling of Epstein's 2008 plea deal when he was a federal prosecutor in Florida. Epstein served 13 months in a jail work-release program after he was originally accused of sexually abusing dozens of girls and young women.

House Speaker Mike Johnson rebuffed pressure to act on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, instead sending members home early on Wednesday for a month-long break from Washington after the week’s legislative agenda was upended by Republican members who are clamoring for a vote.

The case of Jeffrey Epstein, sex offender and former friend of the president, has blown up into a major headache for the White House.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he wants to give the White House “space” to release the Epstein sex-trafficking information on its own.

Donald Trump’s association with Jeffrey Epstein is well-established and his name was included in records that his Justice Department released in February.