Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson responded on Thursday amid reported blowback from members of his party over criticism they've faced for voting down a Democratic-led effort to force the release of documents related to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday joined the chorus of Trump-friendly voices urging the administration to release files related to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The big picture: President Trump has urged his rattled base not to "waste [t]ime" over the case,