WASHINGTON ‒ The Epstein saga was dragging him down.
President Donald Trump wanted to talk about the economy and what he was doing to lower prices for Americans after his party was walloped in off-year elections that were defined by higher prices. Instead, he was starring down a revolt from inside his party over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Realizing that he was on the losing side of a looming House vote to compel the Justice Department to release the records it had been holding back, Trump switched sides and told Republican lawmakers to vote with Democrats.
More: President Trump says he would sign bill requiring release of Epstein files
"All I want is I want for people to recognize the great job that I've done on pricing, on affordability," Trump said on Nov. 18 in the Oval Office, a few hours before the House voted 427-1 on a bill forcing the release of the Epstein files. "We've done a great job, and I hate to see that deflect from the great job we've done."
