Comer Commits to Epstein Victim Hearings After Melania Trump's Call

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) announced he would hold public hearings featuring testimony from Jeffrey Epstein victims, responding to a statement by first lady Melania Trump calling for transparency in the case, CNBC reported.¹

Comer said his committee “always planned” to hold hearings with survivors once the deposition phase of its investigation was completed. The announcement came one day after Melania Trump issued an unexpected public statement on April 9 about the Epstein matter.

Comer’s Announcement

Comer told reporters that the committee would invite survivors to testify publicly about their experiences and their views on the adequacy of government accountability efforts. “These survivors have waited years for their stories to be heard in a formal setting,” Comer said.¹

The chairman did not set a specific date for the hearings. His office said scheduling would depend on the progress of ongoing depositions and the committee’s broader investigation timeline.

Comer framed the decision as consistent with the committee’s investigation plan rather than a direct response to Melania Trump’s statement. However, the timing of the announcement — less than 24 hours after the first lady’s remarks — drew attention from multiple news outlets.

Garcia Pushes for Immediate Action

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the ranking Democrat on the committee, called on Comer to schedule the hearings without further delay. Garcia said survivors had been requesting the opportunity to testify for months and that additional waiting was unnecessary.²

“Chairman Comer should not wait another day,” Garcia said in a statement. “Survivors are ready to testify. The committee should set a date this week.”

Garcia noted that the committee had already held multiple hearings and depositions with DOJ officials and other witnesses. He said victim testimony should have been prioritized earlier in the investigation rather than scheduled at the end.

NBC News reported that survivor advocacy groups welcomed the announcement but echoed Garcia’s call for a firm date.² Representatives of several Epstein survivors said they had been in contact with committee staff about potential testimony for weeks.

Melania Trump’s Statement

The first lady’s April 9 statement, delivered without advance notice to White House staff, called for full transparency regarding the Epstein files. She did not take questions from reporters after reading the statement.

Her remarks broke months of public silence on the Epstein matter from the Trump family. President Donald Trump has made occasional comments about the file releases but had not directly called for victim hearings.

White House officials said the president supported Comer’s decision to hold hearings. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the move as “consistent with the president’s commitment to transparency.”

Scope of Potential Hearings

Committee staff said the hearings would likely cover survivors’ experiences with Epstein and his associates, their interactions with law enforcement during investigations, and their views on the adequacy of DOJ’s document release efforts.

Legal advocates for survivors said witnesses would want to address both historical institutional failures and the current status of transparency efforts. Several survivors have publicly criticized the DOJ’s redaction practices and the pace of document releases.

Committee Investigation Status

The Oversight Committee’s investigation has included depositions of DOJ officials, document requests from multiple federal agencies, and the subpoena of former AG Pam Bondi. Comer said the investigation would continue regardless of whether the DOJ cooperates with outstanding requests.

References

1. Comer announces Epstein victim hearings after Melania Trump statement - CNBC
2. Democrats push Comer to set immediate date for survivor testimony - NBC News