The Trump Administration’s decision to withhold further releases of files related to Jeffrey Epstein has been capturing headlines lately, causing frustration among both the President’s supporters and opponents.

During his appearance on Meet The Press this Sunday, Progressive Democrat Ro Khanna discussed the Epstein file controversy with host Kristen Welker, highlighting it as an advantageous subject for his party.

“This issue is fundamentally about trust in government,” Khanna pointed out. “Back when John F. Kennedy was president, government trust was at 60%. Today, it’s plummeted to the teens. Speaker Johnson and I started in Congress together, both advocating for reform to ensure government functionality,” he explained.

‘This is a perfect opportunity for him to say, “Look, the past is the past.” Okay, I didn’t love that he shut down government. Maybe on your show today he’ll commit that when we come back, let’s have a vote. Remind him of what were like, the conversations we had in our freshman class. This is about being a reform agent of transparency,’ Khanna continued, doing his best to put additional pressure on the Republican Speaker. 

Voters as well are not happy with Trump’s handing of the files, with only 16% of respondents to a recent Emerson College poll saying that they approve ‘of the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.’

Emerson College Polling director Spencer Kimball noted Thursday that the Epstein files issue was the one Trump fared the worst on. 

Khanna and libertarian-minded Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky teamed up earlier this month to introduce the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which would compel Attorney General Pam Bondi to publicly release all unclassified materials relating to Jeffery Epstein.

The duo’s resolution is receiving the the backing of a diverse set of members, including New York socialist darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan ‘Squad’ member Rashida Tlaib, as well as Boebert of Colorado, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Greene of Georgia.

Khanna noted during a media appearance last week that his resolution had the backing of all 212 of his Democratic colleagues in the House.

Even if only the 10 GOP co-sponsors of the resolution were to support it, it would easily pass the House as just a simple majority is need, which is 218 votes out of 435.

Speaker Mike Johnson had choice words for the uncanny duo’s push to release the files during his own Meet The Press appearance Sunday.

‘The Massie and the Khanna discharge petition does not have adequate protections. For example, in the way that it was drafted, they cite that they don’t want child abuse, sex abuse information uncovered, but they cite the wrong provision of the Federal Code, and so it makes it unworkable,’ Johnson told Welker.

‘It requires the DOJ to release grand jury testimony. They are prohibited by law from doing so. So it is not the right approach. There is another approach out there. The House Republicans on the Rules Committee have a resolution that is well drafted, that is thoughtfully drafted by lawyers, that would make this workable. That’s the approach, we have to protect the innocent. We’ll do it at all cost,’ Johnson added.

Yet, even members of the President’s own political party are calling the Administration’s handling of the files a ‘political mistake’ and ‘misstep.’ 

 Eric Burlison, a Missouri Republican, told CNN’s Manu Raju Sunday that part of the issue is ‘that there were false expectations that are created, and that’s a political mistake.’

‘I think that saying that you’re going to be able to deliver when you haven’t even looked at all of the files, what’s available, was probably a misstep,’ Burlison told Raju.