Bulwark Takes Ro Khanna on Trump’s Endless Epstein Stonewalling
7 snips
Dec 21, 2025 
Ro Khanna, a progressive U.S. Representative from California, joins Bill Kristol to dissect the Trump administration's tactics in slowing the Epstein file release. They delve into the excessive redactions and missing documents, questioning the motives behind withholding victim statements. Khanna highlights the political fallout from partial disclosures and calls for transparency to rebuild trust. He also outlines a bipartisan strategy for file release, emphasizing the courage of survivors and the need to confront elite impunity.
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Redactions Fuel Public Distrust
- The DOJ released heavily redacted files that omitted the most relevant documents, creating more suspicion than transparency.
- Ro Khanna says the redactions and withheld FBI files erode public trust and suggest concealment of powerful people.
Use Contempt To Force Transparency
- Use congressional tools like inherent contempt and fines to compel document release when executive branches stonewall.
- Khanna and Tom Massey threatened contempt to force the administration to un-redact and release more material.
Rolling Releases Backfire Politically
- The administration's piecemeal dumps worsened political backlash rather than calming it.
- Khanna argues each partial release increased the appearance of protection for the powerful and intensified anger, including within MAGA ranks.
