House Oversight Democrats triggered a political firestorm this week after releasing a 2011 email from Jeffrey Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell that they say raises new questions about Donald Trump’s past relationship with Epstein and his knowledge of the trafficking of underage girls. The email, dated April 2, 2011, was made public under subpoena and has been reviewed by CNN, according to multiple reports.
In the message, Epstein wrote to Maxwell: “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. (REDACTED) spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. Police chief. etc. im 75 % there.” The passage was highlighted by PoliticsVideoChannel and echoed by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, who noted that the email had been independently examined by the network.
In one email dated April 2, 2011, which CNN has independently reviewed, Epstein emailed Maxwell: “I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is trump.. (REDACTED) spent hours at my house with him ,, he has never once been mentioned. Police chief. etc. im 75 % there.”…
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 12, 2025
The language has fueled renewed scrutiny because it appears to reference Trump spending extended time at Epstein’s home. Separate correspondence attributed to Epstein and sent to journalist Michael Wolff allegedly stated, “of course he knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop,” a claim that directly conflicts with Trump’s long-standing assertion that he barred Epstein from Mar-a-Lago years ago. Trump has denied wrongdoing, and no court has adjudicated the claims raised in the emails.
The disclosures have quickly merged with mounting political tensions on Capitol Hill. According to activists tracking the Oversight material, several Republican House members privately indicated they could support an impeachment vote alongside Democrats. As one account summarized their position, “We have the Numbers to Force a vote to impeach ….. We will Vote with All Democrats to stop this Madness.”
Under House rules, any member can introduce articles of impeachment. Passage requires a simple majority—218 votes. Democrats currently hold 213 seats, meaning that if five Republicans break ranks, the House could approve impeachment. If that threshold is met, the process would move to the Senate for a trial. Observers note that Speaker Mike Johnson’s grip on his conference appears strained, particularly as Democrats pursue discharge petitions to compel the release of additional Epstein-related records.
The impeachment chatter is being amplified by separate controversies surrounding Trump’s foreign policy rhetoric. Nebraska Republican Rep. Don Bacon sharply criticized Trump’s renewed talk of taking over Greenland, calling the idea “utter buffoonery” and warning it could provoke bipartisan backlash. European leaders have forcefully rejected any U.S. claim over the territory. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said, “Greenland is not for sale now, just as it was not for sale in 2019,” while Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede added, “We are not Danish, we are Greenlandic. We have full authority over our own land, and we will not be sold or bought like a commodity.”
It’s time to impeach. I have voted TWICE this year to advance Articles of Impeachment for Donald Trump. After a year of threats on our own soil and our allies—the Republicans are finally talking openly about impeachment. It’s about damn time. Their votes will be needed.
— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) January 15, 2026
Mr.… pic.twitter.com/MT8YAyW3gZ
Public opinion appears firmly against the proposal. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted January 12–13 found only 17 percent of Americans support efforts to acquire Greenland, while 47 percent oppose them. Just 4 percent endorsed the use of military force, compared with 71 percent who said it would be a bad idea.
Bacon’s criticism, combined with his support for legislation limiting presidential war powers in NATO contexts, has underscored growing Republican unease with Trump’s approach to international crises, including tensions involving Venezuela. Lawmakers warn that any attempt to escalate U.S. action abroad without congressional approval could accelerate calls for accountability at home.
Taken together, the Epstein email revelations and the foreign policy disputes have pushed impeachment from a fringe threat to a live possibility. With Democrats unified and a small bloc of Republicans signaling openness to defect, the arithmetic in the House is suddenly stark. If five GOP members join all Democrats, impeachment would pass—bringing Trump one step closer to a Senate trial amid deepening political and legal turmoil.
