The second-term congressman and trucking executive said he supports making the records public. “We need to release it. I have no problem releasing it,” he said, cautioning that legal complications involving judges and grand jury material have slowed the process.

A Collins campaign spokesman defended the remarks, saying, “Mike’s words speak for themselves: President Trump was right about everything, kicked Epstein to the curb, and did nothing wrong. This ‘story’ is a massive nothingburger from never-Trump consultants using DNC talking points. They won’t stop Mike’s momentum delivering results for the America First agenda. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

The episode highlights growing tensions within the GOP over transparency around Epstein-related documents, which Trump has resisted despite earlier promises. Trump’s Department of Justice announced in July that it had found no “client list” of Epstein’s, contradicting a public statement by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Fox News in February that it was “on my desk.” Despite the backlash, Trump has stood by Bondi and urged his supporters to move on.

“He’s dead for a long time. He was never a big factor in terms of life,” Trump said in July of Epstein. “I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is, I really don’t. And the credible information’s been given.”

The Wall Street Journal went on to report that Bondi informed Trump that his name was in the DOJ’s Epstein files multiple times. Trump and Epstein were noted friends years earlier, and appearing in the documents was not necessarily a sign of Trump’s wrongdoing. The White House dismissed the story as “fake news.”

The Justice Department recently delivered a first batch of heavily redacted Epstein files to Congress, compelled by a bipartisan subpoena. Lawmakers, including Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) are pushing for full public release, although no clear timeline has been set. 

Meanwhile, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee issued this week a sweeping subpoena to Epstein’s estate, demanding everything from his will, flight logs, and nondisclosure agreements to the much-discussed “birthday book” allegedly compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell containing notes from associates. The estate has until Sept. 8 to comply, and former U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta is scheduled for a transcribed interview before the committee on Sept. 19.

Complicating matters, a federal judge in New York recently rejected efforts to unseal Epstein’s grand jury transcripts, citing concerns over victim privacy and the marginal transparency benefit they would bring.

Sen. Jon Ossoff (D‑GA), a top Democratic target in 2026, has hammered Trump on the issue. In a July speech in Savannah, Ossoff said: “He promised to release the Epstein files. Did anyone really think the sexual predator president, who used to party with Jeffrey Epstein, was going to release the Epstein files?”

That clash has spilled into Georgia’s Republican Senate primary, where Collins, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), and former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley are competing for Trump’s endorsement and the chance to take on Ossoff. 

Carter has sided with the president. In a WJCL interview last month, he said, “I support the president, and I trust the president. He has called for the Attorney General to release all the files, and I think we should let this process play out. The president wants transparency and accountability, just like we want transparency and accountability. I think we’re all on the same page here, so we shouldn’t have any problem at all with this.”

Dooley, who entered the race with the backing of GOP Gov. Brian Kemp, has so far avoided the topic, highlighting how the Epstein files are landing unevenly across the GOP primary field.

Collins, meanwhile, had been quieter on Trump’s role in the Epstein files since launching his Senate campaign. Before this hot-mic moment, though, he had been more vocal. In February, he tweeted: “Release the Epstein files. Release the Las Vegas shooter files. Release the JFK files.” 

He also marked the anniversary of Epstein’s 2019 indictment in July 2024 by writing that “the government continues to withhold his list of clients and visitors to his island.” Just weeks ago, Collins’s leadership PAC fundraised off the House Oversight Committee’s subpoenas by telling donors: “This is bigger than Russiagate. Congress is finally investigating the EPSTEIN FILES.” However, in each instance, he stopped short of mentioning Trump’s handling of the matter or criticizing the president.

GEORGIA REPUBLICANS NAVIGATE THREE PRIMARIES AT ONCE IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE RACE

With Trump’s endorsement looming as a decisive factor, the back-and-forth over the Epstein files has added another layer of pressure to a primary already shaping up as one of the most closely watched races of 2026.