Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, told Newsmax on Thursday the Jeffrey Epstein case should remain focused on supporting victims.
Meanwhile, the congressman defended President Donald Trump against what he described as politically motivated attacks.
In comments addressing recent remarks by first lady Melania Trump, Gill said he welcomed her emphasis on victims of sexual abuse.
"Anything we can do to help the victims is something that we should be focused on," Gill said on "Ed Henry: The Big Take," adding that he applauds the first lady for "standing up for victims."
Melania Trump has recently drawn attention for comments highlighting the need to support survivors of abuse amid renewed public discussion of Epstein, the financier who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
On Thursday, she denied ties to Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes, saying that the "stories are completely false" and calling accusations that she was somehow involved "smears about me."
Reading a statement at the White House, Melania Trump said she and her attorneys were fighting back against "unfounded and baseless lies" regarding her connections to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who leveraged connections to the rich and powerful to recruit his victims and conceal his crimes.
Gill also pushed back on criticism tied to Trump's past comments referencing the Epstein case as a "hoax."
He said those remarks were not meant to dismiss the seriousness of the allegations, but rather to criticize political opponents.
"When the president was talking about this being a hoax, what he was referring to is the fact that Democrats have weaponized this entire process against the president," Gill said. "That is wrong."
Gill argued that allegations connected to Epstein have been used unfairly in political attacks, calling it inappropriate to link Trump to conduct he said the president had "nothing to do with."
"It is wrong to weaponize grotesque sexual assault against a man who had nothing to do with any of this," Gill said.
The lawmaker noted that congressional and federal investigations into Epstein and related matters continue.
He said the House Oversight Committee, on which he serves, has been conducting multiple inquiries, alongside work by the Department of Justice.
"We have been doing multiple investigations on the House Oversight Committee ... and the DOJ has been working on this as well," Gill said.
Epstein's case continues to generate political and public scrutiny, particularly regarding his network of associates and the handling of investigations before his death.
Lawmakers from both parties have called for transparency and accountability, though disagreements remain over the scope and direction of inquiries.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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