Epstein Survivors Invited to Attend State of the Union

Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation attended President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, according to Talk Radio 98.3 WLAC.¹

The survivors were present in the House chamber as invited guests when Trump delivered his annual address to Congress on February 24, 2026.¹ Members of Congress may invite guests to the State of the Union, which typically draws cabinet members, Supreme Court justices, military leaders, and other dignitaries to the House chamber for the president’s annual report on the nation.¹

Renewed Congressional Attention

The survivors’ attendance comes amid renewed congressional focus on the Epstein case. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) stated in recent remarks that newly released Epstein files reveal a criminal network “much bigger” than previously understood.¹ Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) has alleged that the Department of Justice withheld FBI interviews with a Trump accuser from the Epstein files released to Congress.¹

Multiple members of Congress have called for greater transparency regarding government records related to Epstein and his associates. The Epstein Transparency Act, signed into law in January 2025, requires federal agencies to declassify and release documents related to Epstein’s crimes and connections.¹ The FBI began its review of Epstein-related records under the new law in early 2025.¹

Epstein Case Background

Jeffrey Epstein was a financier who operated a sex trafficking network involving underage girls for years before his 2008 conviction on state charges of soliciting a minor in Florida.¹ He died in federal custody in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.¹

Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s associate, was convicted in December 2021 on federal charges of sex trafficking minors and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.¹

The decision to invite Epstein survivors as guests to the State of the Union represents a public platform for victims whose cases have largely played out in sealed court proceedings, confidential settlements, and law enforcement files that remain partially classified despite the transparency law.¹

Congressional guest invitations to presidential addresses typically highlight policy priorities or draw attention to specific issues. The survivors’ presence at the February 24 address placed the Epstein case before the full Congress, executive branch officials, and the national television audience that watches the annual speech.¹

References

1. Talk Radio 98.3 WLAC — “Epstein Survivors To Attend State Of The Union”