On November 17, 2025, President Donald Trump expressed frustration towards reporters at Palm Beach International Airport when questioned about the Epstein files. This incident occurred after Trump had previously authorized the release of these files, which has become a contentious issue within the Republican Party.

A reporter referenced comments made by GOP lawmaker Thomas Massie, who suggested that the Justice Department's investigation into Epstein's connections with prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, might serve as a distraction from the full release of the files. In response, Trump criticized the reporter, labeling them as 'terrible' and accused them of deflecting attention from what he described as the successes of his administration.

Trump also targeted Massie, noting his low approval ratings and suggesting that Massie's dissent was politically motivated. Earlier, Massie had indicated that ongoing investigations could prevent the release of the Epstein documents, implying that the administration's actions might be a strategic maneuver to delay transparency.

Trump had announced the investigation on the preceding Friday and reiterated on social media that House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, asserting that there was nothing to conceal. He emphasized that the Justice Department was examining various Democratic figures in relation to Epstein, while also expressing indifference to the legal entitlements of the House Oversight Committee regarding the documents.

In a separate interaction, Trump displayed irritation towards another reporter during the same press event, demanding to finish his statement and criticizing the reporter's affiliation with Bloomberg. The identity of the reporter involved in this exchange remains unclear, but it has been suggested that it may have been Jennifer Jacobs, a senior White House reporter for CBS News.