A whistle-to-bell fight over the Jeffrey Epstein files erupted again this week on CNN. Host Erin Burnett framed it as a Republican revolt and pushed hard for a floor vote to pry open every last page. She made clear how far she wanted this to go and how she wanted it perceived—straight at President Trump’s coalition.

“Jeffrey Epstein is accused of targeting, assaulting and raping underage girls. That’s not a hoax. That’s something that needs to be investigated, and everyone should be pounding the table on this. This one isn’t hard, and it’s not complicated. It’s why Republican Congressman Thomas Massie is leading the revolt on this against Trump as we speak, rallying Republicans to break with Trump and support Massie’s movement to force a vote that would allow for releasing every single Epstein document that exists.”

Rep. Thomas Massie responded with a blunt political calculation paired to a transparency case. He argued that releasing the files is both the right move and the smart one for Republicans who want to remove doubt and shut down conspiracy bait.

“I care most about the policy here, not the politics of it. But politically, it’s really bad for Republicans. They should just have this vote and put it behind them. Eighty percent of Republicans, it’s not just independents and Democrats who want these files released, 80% of Republicans support releasing these files. So, they’re at odds with our base right now, and particularly the MAGA base.”

Burnett doubled down on the moral framing to press the point beyond party lines.

“Massie’s being practical, but he’s also right there that this shouldn’t be political. There’s a right and a wrong, and exposing people who assault and rape children is the right side of the issue.”

Those are the facts on air. The politics around them are plain, too. The left wants to paint this as a Trump-versus-transparency story. But conservatives know sunlight is a weapon against the powerful and corrupt—whoever they are—and that releasing every lawful document strips away the media’s favorite rumor machine.

The path forward is straightforward. A clean up-or-down vote to release the files—consistent with privacy law and active-case limits—would answer the base, honor victims, and deny entrenched interests their fog. Republicans do not need CNN to set their agenda; they need to keep faith with voters who demand truth and consequences.

The moral case is even stronger. Human trafficking and child abuse are evils that demand relentless exposure. Redacting what the law requires while publishing the rest is not a partisan stunt—it is basic accountability. Every predator unmasked and every accomplice identified is one less shadow for evil to hide in.

This is also where Trump’s law-and-order posture matters. The movement he leads thrives on calling out protected classes and smashing double standards. Releasing the files aligns with that record: no special lanes for elites, no protected dossiers, no slow-walking justice to shield anyone with connections.

Critics in the media will try to turn a transparency vote into a palace drama. Don’t take the bait. The real question isn’t who gets credit; it’s whether the American people finally see the full picture. Passing the vote drains the intrigue, centers the victims, and moves the fight from rumor to receipts.

Conservatives should welcome the challenge and meet it with discipline. Lay out the process, set a swift timetable, and publish what the law allows—then keep moving on border enforcement, crime crackdowns, and economic growth. Momentum belongs to the side that delivers results and tells the truth.

This moment is not complicated. The country is owed answers, the victims are owed justice, and the movement is owed closure. Hold the vote. Release the files. End the games. When the right stands for transparency, predators lose their shield—and America wins.