Rift in the G.O.P.: Trump Accuses Speaker Johnson of Betrayal Over Epstein Files Vote

By Carl Hulse and Jonathan Weisman Washington — Nov. 26, 2025

WASHINGTON — In a stunning public break that exposed raw nerves within the Republican leadership, President Donald J. Trump unleashed a torrent of criticism against House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday, branding him a “betrayer” for allowing a bipartisan vote on the accelerated release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files — a measure Mr. Trump has long opposed as a “witch hunt” designed to tarnish his administration. The outburst, delivered in a mid-morning Truth Social post just hours before a scheduled House floor debate, has deepened fissures in the G.O.P. coalition and prompted whispers of a speaker ouster, even as Mr. Johnson defended the procedural move as a “necessary compromise” to avert a government shutdown.

The confrontation erupted Tuesday evening when Mr. Johnson, known among hard-liners as “MAGA Mike” for his evangelical fervor and unswerving loyalty to Mr. Trump, permitted the Rules Committee to advance H.R. 682, a discharge petition forcing the Justice Department to declassify remaining Epstein documents by Dec. 15. The bill, backed by an unlikely alliance of Democrats and a handful of Republicans frustrated by the administration’s redactions, bypassed traditional leadership channels in a rare show of backbench rebellion. Mr. Trump, who signed a watered-down version of the measure last week under pressure from donors and prediction markets betting on transparency, viewed the maneuver as a direct affront, accusing Mr. Johnson of “siding with the radical left to leak fake news about me.”

“Mike Johnson, who I helped make Speaker — TWICE! — just stabbed me in the back on the Epstein hoax,” Mr. Trump posted at 10:47 a.m., his message viewed 7.2 million times within the hour. “He’s no MAGA Mike anymore; he’s Weak Mike! Republicans, wake up — this betrayal will cost us 2026. I’ll remember!” The post, laced with threats of primary challenges, echoed Mr. Trump’s playbook from his first term, when he orchestrated the downfall of two speakers over spending disputes.

Mr. Johnson, 53, a soft-spoken Louisiana conservative elevated to the speakership in October 2023 after a protracted G.O.P. civil war, responded with uncharacteristic steel during a Capitol news conference an hour later. Flanked by a phalanx of moderate Republicans, he invoked biblical imagery: “As Proverbs teaches, ‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.’ The president and I remain brothers in this fight, but governance demands wisdom, not just will. This vote isn’t betrayal; it’s building trust with the American people who elected us to deliver results.” Privately, aides to the speaker described the decision as a calculated risk to shore up his slim majority — currently 219-216 after recent vacancies — amid threats of another shutdown over farm aid extensions.

The rift traces to a cascade of flash points this fall. Mr. Johnson’s defense of Mr. Trump’s “sedition” rhetoric against Democrats last week — when the president suggested executing lawmakers for a viral video urging military personnel to defy “unlawful orders” — initially solidified his standing. But the Epstein saga has tested loyalties. The files, partially released in October, have fueled speculation about Mr. Trump’s 1990s social ties to Epstein, including flight logs and unverified claims of Mar-a-Lago gatherings. Hard-liners like Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz demanded a full purge, but Mr. Johnson, navigating a divided conference, brokered the discharge petition as a face-saving off-ramp, securing 12 Republican co-sponsors.

On X, the platform Mr. Trump favors for unfiltered fury, the backlash was immediate and polarized. Hashtags #FireMagaMike and #StandWithJohnson trended nationwide, with Mr. Trump’s post amplified by allies like podcaster Charlie Kirk: “Speaker’s gone soft — time for real MAGA leadership!” Counterposts from establishment Republicans, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, urged unity: “This isn’t betrayal; it’s bridge-building. Trump’s vision thrives on victories, not vendettas.” Prediction markets on Polymarket saw odds of Mr. Johnson’s ouster by year’s end jump to 42 percent, up from 15 percent overnight, reflecting elite jitters in donor circles.

White House officials, speaking anonymously to describe private deliberations, revealed Mr. Trump had phoned Mr. Johnson at 9:30 a.m., a 12-minute call that aides described as “heated but not irreparable.” Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, a Florida operative with a reputation for brokering truces, spent the afternoon shuttling between the Capitol and Pennsylvania Avenue. Yet the damage rippled outward: Two G.O.P. fundraisers scheduled for next week in Dallas and Miami were quietly postponed, sources said, as major donors expressed unease over the “family feud.”

This is not Mr. Johnson’s first brush with Trumpian ire. In October, the president toyed with withdrawing support after Mr. Johnson advanced a stopgap funding bill to avert a shutdown, calling it a “surrender to socialists.” Mr. Johnson weathered that storm by rallying evangelicals, but the Epstein vote — framed by critics as a “power grab” exposing Mr. Trump to scrutiny — strikes at the heart of MAGA’s grievance politics. “Mike’s playing chess while Trump wants checkers,” said one House Republican leadership aide, granted anonymity to discuss internal strategy. “He’s betting the base will forgive procedure for progress on priorities like border security.”

Democrats, holding the Senate and sensing opportunity, pounced with glee. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer quipped during a floor speech: “Even in victory, the G.O.P. can’t get out of its own way. Trump’s lashing out because the truth hurts — and now his own team sees it.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries scheduled an emergency caucus briefing, framing the rift as evidence of “Trump fatigue” that could flip five competitive seats in 2026.

For Mr. Johnson, a former trial lawyer from Shreveport who rose through the ranks on anti-abortion advocacy, the moment tests his precarious perch. Elected speaker on his fourth ballot in 2023 after ousting Kevin McCarthy, he has survived multiple motion-to-vacate threats by courting centrists. But alienating Mr. Trump risks a Gaetz-led revolt; bolstering him invites shutdown brinkmanship.

As Thanksgiving gatherings beckon, Washington simmers with what-ifs. Will Mr. Johnson placate the president with a loyalty pledge, perhaps by stalling the Senate companion bill? Or does this “crucial moment” mark the beginning of a speaker showdown that could paralyze the lame-duck session? Historians draw parallels to Newt Gingrich’s 1990s clashes with President Bill Clinton, where procedural fights foreshadowed midterm losses.

One G.O.P. strategist, speaking off the record, summed it up: “Trump built this movement on loyalty oaths, but governance demands detours. Mike’s detour just hit a Trump-sized pothole.”

For now, the House chamber buzzes with anticipation. The vote, set for 2 p.m. Thursday, could pass with Democratic votes — a humiliation Mr. Trump vowed to “veto in spirit.” In a party where betrayal is the ultimate sin, the real-time rift serves as a stark reminder: Even in unified government, the MAGA flame burns brightest — and hottest — when tested.

Carl Hulse covers Congress, and Jonathan Weisman is chief congressional correspondent. Additional reporting by Emily Cochrane and Nicholas Fandos in Washington.