A Republican lawmaker from Georgia set off a storm after a local event comment was caught on a hot microphone. Representative Mike Collins said he believed former President Donald Trump’s name was in the Jeffrey Epstein records.
The remark came during a county GOP meeting when a voter asked Collins whether Trump was listed in the documents tied to Epstein. The disgraced financier died in federal custody in August 2019.
Collins replied without hesitation. “Yeah, I’m sure he’s in there,” he said. His answer was later uploaded in an audio clip online with the title, “HOT MIC: Republican caught saying Trump IS IN THE EPSTEIN FILES.”
Collins offered no evidence but explained why he thought Trump’s name would appear. He claimed that Trump was involved in reporting Epstein to investigators and had removed Epstein from Mar-a-Lago years before.
“He’s the one that kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago and then called the FBI,” Collins said. He repeated, “Yeah, yeah he’s in there,” doubling down on his answer.
The constituent then asked Collins whether he would support making the files public. Collins said he had no issue with releasing them but stressed it must be handled through legal channels.
“Oh, we need to release them. But you’ve got to go through the judicial,” he said. He later added, “I’m not a lawyer or judge, it is more complicated than just saying, ‘here’s the files.’”
His campaign quickly released a statement to the Washington Examiner to defend the lawmaker. The spokesperson said Collins’ words spoke for themselves and dismissed the controversy as a “nothingburger.”
The statement praised Trump, saying he “kicked Epstein to the curb and did nothing wrong.” It framed the story as a smear spread by anti-Trump voices and vowed Collins would continue his America First agenda.
The White House has spent months pushing back against suggestions Trump is named in Epstein-related material. Officials have called such reports inaccurate, adding there is no evidence linking Trump to criminal activity.
In July, the Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump during a briefing that his name came up in Epstein files. The report stressed this did not suggest wrongdoing.
The White House at the time said the claim was false. Officials described the story as “fake news,” trying to distance Trump from new attention as more filings become public.
Elon Musk also fueled drama in June when he stated on his platform X that Trump was in the files. He later softened his words but said the truth would “come out in time.”
Trump dismissed those claims in an NBC interview. “That’s old news, that’s been talked about for years,” he said. He also pointed out that Epstein’s lawyer had cleared him years earlier.
Even though Trump and Epstein were once friendly, Trump has said their relationship ended in 2004. Trump’s allies often cite that fact to argue he acted before many others.
The Justice Department determined in 2019 that Epstein’s death was a suicide. Still, theories that he was killed to protect well-connected people have circulated, keeping the case in public debate.
Earlier this year, the administration declassified and released some Epstein-related files. Heavy redactions left little new detail, which only fueled ongoing speculation about who appears in the documents.
In July, the FBI said its review found no incriminating “client list.” Officials warned against conspiracy claims and stressed that incomplete documents were being misrepresented online.
Collins’ hot mic remark now adds fuel to that ongoing debate. His comment comes as many Republicans face questions about whether the Epstein files will ever be released in full.
The incident also highlights party divisions about how to handle past controversies around Trump. While Collins defended the former president, his words have given critics new material to question him.
Whether the remarks change anything politically remains unclear. Some voters brushed them off, while others see them as proof the files could still cause trouble for Trump as election battles heat up.
