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.

The passing of the spending clawback comes at a time when Trump's MAGA base has revolted over findings that there was not a "client list" of Epstein's.

House Republican leaders are preparing for a late night in the chamber as they try to jam through President Donald Trump’s $9 billion package of cuts to federal funding — after a day of intense talks with GOP holdouts demanding a vote on a Jeffrey Epstein-related measure.