JD Vance, the Vice President, has seemingly undermined President Donald Trump’s push to move beyond the controversy surrounding the Epstein files. Vance informed the Daily Mail that he is not opposed to additional congressional investigations, even as Trump encourages the country to put the scandal behind them.
The contrasting statements surfaced on Tuesday when Vance disclosed to the Daily Mail that he agrees with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s proposal for Prince Andrew to give evidence to Congress concerning his links to Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Trump made a call from the Oval Office for the nation to move on from the files recently released by the Justice Department.
The most recent batch of documents consists of 3 million files, 180,000 photos, and 2,000 videos associated with Epstein, who passed away in 2019. The massive quantity of documents has reignited scrutiny of a number of high-profile individuals who feature in the records, including Trump, Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk.
When questioned about Starmer’s remarks about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—who lost his “Prince Andrew” title in October 2025—Vance expressed a readiness to pursue additional evidence.
Referring to the potential of the British royal appearing before Congress, Vance stated he was certainly open to it.
Vance communicated to the Daily Mail that he would let congressional Republicans decide whether Prince Andrew should testify. However, he stated clearly that his personal stance supports continuing official investigations.
In the interview, the vice president criticized what he described as disconcerting connections among America’s elite. Vance said the files revealed an incestuous nature to America’s elites.
Vance has consistently expressed skepticism about the Epstein case over the years. While campaigning for the Senate in 2021, Vance tweeted, questioning why the U.S. government would keep Epstein’s clients confidential. His past commentary on the scandal contrasts with his more recent efforts to distance Trump from the controversy.
After aligning himself with Trump’s political sphere, Vance shifted his narrative to highlight alleged connections between Epstein and left-leaning political figures, while trying to absolve Trump of any misconduct. He maintained that the Trump administration was not concealing information, even after missing a legal deadline in December 2025 to unveil the documents.
In his interview with the Daily Mail, Vance sought to dissociate Trump from other notable figures mentioned in the files. He stated that despite knowing many of these individuals and sharing similar wealth and power, President Trump was never close with Epstein in the way many others were.
Pointedly, Vance named Bill Gates and Bill Clinton as examples of individuals who, in his opinion, the files reflect negatively on. Gates has released a statement denying accusations made against him in the documents. The Clintons have agreed to testify to Congress about their connections to Epstein, although being mentioned in the files does not automatically imply any wrongdoing.
Trump’s comments in the Oval Office illustrated his wish to close the chapter on the Epstein files. The president suggested the documents vindicated him while simultaneously commending Bill and Hillary Clinton, praising the former president as someone he always liked and describing Hillary Clinton as capable and intelligent.
When CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins asked if moving on from the files would serve justice to Epstein’s victims, Trump berated the reporter. Trump labeled Collins as the worst reporter and advised her to smile more during the exchange.
The disparity between Vance’s readiness for further investigation and Trump’s call to move on underscores potential discord in how the administration tackles the ongoing repercussions from the document release. Starmer’s assertion that Prince Andrew should be ready to testify before Congress has added international pressure to the domestic controversy.
Following the document release, British politician Lord Peter Mandelson also finds himself under scrutiny after the Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation into Mandelson on February 3, 2026, over allegations he misused his public office by passing sensitive government information to Epstein. Other prominent entertainment and industry figures mentioned in the files include Woody Allen, Martha Stewart, Katie Couric, Deepak Chopra, and Richard Branson.
Last week’s release by the Justice Department represented the largest disclosure of Epstein-related materials since federal law required their publication. The materials have led to renewed public interest in Epstein’s network of connections among the business, political, and entertainment elite.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, appears extensively throughout the released materials. The records detail communications and interactions involving numerous public figures over multiple years.
As the controversy persists, it will be up to congressional Republicans to decide whether to seek testimony from Prince Andrew or other individuals mentioned in the files.
