A group of female victims of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein spoke at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday ahead of a long-awaited vote on a House bill ordering the release of Justice Department files on Epstein.
“We’re fighting for the children,” said survivor Haley Robson, holding a photo of herself as a child.
Robson called this a “human issue” and asked that political agendas be put aside before delivering a direct message to President Donald Trump.
Epstein abuse survivor Haley Robson speaks during a press conference with lawmakers about the Epstein Files Transparency Act in front of the US Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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“And to the president of the United States of America, who is not here today, I want to send you a clear message. While I understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files and I am grateful that you have committed to signing this bill, I can’t help but be skeptical about what the agenda is. That being said, I want to convey this message: I am traumatized. I am not stupid.”
“They’ve put us through a lot of stress, the lockdown, the suspension of these proceedings that were supposed to have happened 50 days ago, the Adelita Grijalva who waited to be sworn in and then gets angry when her own party goes against her, because what’s being done is wrong,” Robson said. “It’s not right. For their own selfish purposes. This is America. This is the land of the free, the land of the free.”
Epstein abuse survivor Haley Robson holds a photo of her younger self during a press conference on the Epstein Records Transparency Act in front of the US Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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“I don’t feel free today,” Robson added. “I don’t know if the women behind me feel free today, so I beg every member of Congress, every representative, to step up and choose chaos. Choose the survivors, choose the children. Protect the children, all the children. Protect us all equally.”
Another survivor, Jena-Lisa Jones, also addressed Trump directly and criticized his administration’s handling of the Epstein matter.
“I beg you, President Trump, stop making this political. This is not about you, President Trump. You are our president. Please start acting like one. Show some class, show real leadership, show that you really care about people other than yourself. I voted for you, but your behavior on this issue has been a national disgrace,” Jones said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
