time.com
June 2, 2024 -- Trump on Fox & Friends
In a lengthy interview, Trump was asked about declassifying files from high-profile investigations. He didn't hesitate in agreeing to declassify files from investigations into the Sept. 11 attacks and the Jan. 6 insurrection. When asked about Epstein, he was more circumspect.
Host Rachel Campos-Duffy: "Would you declassify the Epstein files?"
Trump: "Yeah, yeah, I would. I guess I would. I think that less so, because you don't know " You don't want to affect people's lives if there's phony stuff in there, because there's a lot of phony stuff in that whole world. But I think I would, or at least""
Duffy: "Do you think that would restore trust " help restore trust."
Trump: "Yeah. I don't know about Epstein so much as I do the others. Certainly about the way he died. It'd be interesting to find out what happened there, because that was a weird situation and the cameras didn't happen to be working, etc., etc. But yeah, I'd go a long way toward that one."
Sept. 3, 2024 -- Lex Fridman's podcast
Trump was more assertive when asked by Friedman about releasing Epstein's client list.
Trump: "Yeah, I'd certainly take a look at it. ... Yeah, I'd be inclined to do the Epstein, I'd have no problem with it."
Vice President J.D. Vance
Trump announced Vance, a Republican Senator from Ohio, as his running mate in July 2024.
Oct. 22, 2024 -- Theo Von's podcast
Two weeks before the election, Vance said on Von's program that the government should release files about the criminal investigation into Epstein. On July 16, Von reposted the clip on X with the caption: "Yeah what changed?"
Vance: "Seriously, we need to release the Epstein list. That is an important thing."
FBI Director Kash Patel
Dec. 23, 2023 -- Patel on Truth Social
"Been calling for ALL of it to be released so the public can have accountability- we must find out who pedo'd around with Epstein: Barr totally failed"