JD Vance, the Vice President, has seemingly contradicted President Donald Trump’s call for the nation to move beyond the Epstein files scandal. Vance told the Daily Mail that he remains receptive to further congressional investigations into the matter.
This conflicting stance surfaced on Tuesday when Vance expressed his support for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s suggestion that Prince Andrew should be prepared to testify before Congress about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. This comes even as Trump, from the Oval Office, insisted that the country should move on from the files made public by the Justice Department.
The latest batch of materials consists of 3 million files, 180,000 images, and 2,000 videos related to Epstein. Epstein died by suicide in a Manhattan federal jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, according to the Justice Department.
Vance displayed his readiness to seek more testimonies in response to Starmer’s comments concerning Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was deprived of his “Prince Andrew” title in October 2025.
Expressing his openness to the scenario of the British royal appearing before Congress, Vance stated that the decision to call Prince Andrew to testify would ultimately lie with congressional Republicans. Yet, he did not hesitate to make known his personal stance in favor of continuing official investigations.
During the interview, the Vice President took the opportunity to criticize what he perceived as disconcerting associations among America’s elite. According to Vance, the files revealed an incestuous nature amongst this group.
Vance’s skepticism over the Epstein case has been evident for years. In 2021, while on his Senate campaign trail, he questioned via a tweet why Epstein’s clients were being kept confidential by the U.S. government. This skepticism contrasts with his recent efforts to distance Trump from the scandal.
After aligning with Trump politically, Vance began to emphasize alleged ties between Epstein and left-wing political figures, while attempting to absolve Trump of any misconduct. He maintained that the Trump administration was not withholding information, despite criticism for an incomplete initial release by the December 2025 deadline mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In his interview with the Daily Mail, Vance endeavored to differentiate Trump from other high-profile individuals named in the files. He stated that Trump, despite his wealth and power, was not friendly with Epstein, unlike many others.
As examples of individuals who, in his view, are depicted unfavorably in the files, Vance named Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and former President Bill Clinton. However, being mentioned in the files does not necessarily imply any wrongdoing. Multiple courts have clarified that inclusion in Epstein-related documents or flight logs does not constitute evidence of illegal activity or involvement in his crimes.
Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, expressed his wish to put the discussion of the Epstein files behind. He claimed the documents cleared him of any wrongdoing and praised Bill and Hillary Clinton, describing the former president as someone he always liked and Hillary as highly capable and intelligent.
When CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins questioned whether moving on from the files would serve justice to Epstein’s victims, Trump criticized her. He called Collins the worst reporter and suggested she smile more during their exchange.
The contrast between Vance’s openness to further investigation and Trump’s call to move on underscores potential divisions in how the administration deals with the ongoing repercussions of the document release.
Following the document release, British politician Lord Peter Mandelson also finds himself under scrutiny. On Feb. 3, 2026, the Metropolitan Police started a criminal investigation into Mandelson over allegations of misconduct in public office by providing sensitive government information to Epstein. Other notable entertainment and industry figures have been mentioned in Epstein-related materials over multiple releases.
The Justice Department’s disclosure last week represented the most substantial release of Epstein-related materials since their publication was legally mandated. Public interest in Epstein’s network of connections among the business, political, and entertainment elite has been reignited by this release.
Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, features prominently in the released materials. Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in June 2022. The documents outline communications and interactions involving a host of public figures over several years.
As the controversy continues, it will be up to congressional Republicans to decide whether to seek testimony from Prince Andrew or other individuals mentioned in the files.