President Donald Trump will face a powerful symbolic challenge during his State of the Union address Tuesday night when more than a dozen survivors of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein take their seats in the House chamber as guests of Democratic lawmakers.
The coordinated effort by House and Senate Democrats turns what is traditionally a celebration of presidential achievements into an uncomfortable confrontation for Trump, who has repeatedly dismissed scrutiny of his past association with Epstein as a “Democrat hoax.” The survivors will sit before the president as he delivers his first State of the Union address since his inauguration last year.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., one of the authors of the Epstein Transparency Act that mandated the release of millions of investigative files, announced he will bring Haley Robson, who says Epstein trafficked her starting when she was 16 years old. “Haley’s courageous fight is proof that this isn’t about politics, it’s about exposing America’s two-tiered system of justice and bringing accountability to the Epstein class involved in the horrific abuse of young girls,” Khanna said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will bring Dani Bensky, a New York survivor who has called on Trump to release every file related to Epstein. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will host Marina Lacerda, another survivor whose advocacy has kept pressure on the administration for transparency.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, will bring Sky and Amanda Roberts, the brother and sister-in-law of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who died by suicide last year after years of legal battles stemming from her allegations against Epstein and his associates.
The guest list extends across the Democratic caucus. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., will bring New Mexico state Rep. Andrea Romero, who has launched an investigation into Epstein’s activities at his sprawling Zorro Ranch estate in the state. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., who is attending an alternative event on the National Mall, will send Marijke Chartouni to the chamber in her place. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, is bringing Annie Farmer, herself a survivor who testified at Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial and whose sister Maria first reported Epstein to the FBI in 1996.
Some Democrats won’t attend the speech themselves but are sending survivors in their place. Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Ore., said she would meet with constituents during the address and asked Lisa Phillips, an Epstein survivor, to attend on her behalf.
The White House has pushed back hard against renewed attention on Trump’s past association with Epstein. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the controversy as a “Democrat hoax” perpetuated by “opportunistic Democrats.” Trump himself has called the entire matter “total ****” designed to distract from what he considers his administration’s accomplishments.
The survivors’ presence comes as frustration mounts over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s department announced in July that no additional prosecutions would result from its review of Epstein files, despite years of demands from victims and lawmakers for accountability.
When the Justice Department released millions of pages of Epstein-related documents, survivors complained that their names were not properly redacted while the identities of powerful men in Epstein’s orbit remained protected. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the department’s work, but a federal judge in New York has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday on a request from victims’ lawyers to shut down the document website until all victim information is removed.
The political theater Tuesday night represents a rare moment when Trump’s fervent base has shown cracks in its support. Many Trump supporters who amplified conspiracy theories about Epstein during the 2024 campaign have expressed disappointment that the administration has not pursued additional prosecutions or released what they hoped would be bombshell revelations.
Recent releases of photographs from Epstein’s estate have only intensified scrutiny. Images published in December showed Trump at multiple social events with Epstein, including a 1997 Victoria’s Secret party. Other photos showed former President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and various tech billionaires and celebrities.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has resisted efforts by some Republicans and Democrats to force votes on legislation that would mandate additional document releases. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., filed a discharge petition in September, attempting to bypass Johnson’s opposition, ultimately securing the 218 signatures needed to force a floor vote—though Trump signed the Epstein Transparency Act into law in November after it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
As Trump prepares to deliver his address Tuesday night, he will do so knowing that in the audience sits a group of women whose presence serves as a visceral reminder of questions about justice and accountability that continue to shadow his presidency—questions his administration insists have already been answered, but which survivors say demand far more.