REPORT: Thomas Massie To Sit With Democrats At State Of The Union Address

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) will be sitting with House Democrats during Tuesday night’s State Of The Union address. The move comes as Massie continues to accuse the president — without evidence — of involvement with Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.

Massie’s decision, which was reported by Axios, deviates from the customary practice in which members of each party sit separately. The congressman will be sitting with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), with whom he has collaborated on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan measure they co-authored to require the Department of Justice to release documents related to the Epstein case.

The law led to the public release of millions of pages detailing Epstein’s associations, financial dealings, and allegations of sex trafficking involving minors. Massie and Khanna have also used unsourced or misleading documents to falsely accuse individuals of involvement in crimes, including a plumber who was used in a police lineup.

At 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Massie refuted the Axios report and claimed that he will be sitting on the Republican side of the aisle for the address.

This is my view tonight at the State of the Union from the Republican side of the aisle. pic.twitter.com/lrpcqc7JBS

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) February 25, 2026

Khanna also invited Haley Robson as his guest to the address. Robson has publicly identified as a survivor of Epstein’s abuse, stating that she was recruited into his network at age 16 or 17 in the early 2000s.

According to records from the 2005-2006 Palm Beach police investigation, she visited Epstein’s residence multiple times, where she provided massages and reported experiencing unwanted contact on at least one occasion. Robson also recruited other young women, many of them minors, from local areas, instructing them to state they were 18 and receiving payments for each introduction.

In a 2006 police interview, she acknowledged these actions and supplied information that assisted investigators, including details on contacts and timelines.

Robson was not charged in connection with the case. This stemmed from the 2008 non-prosecution agreement negotiated under then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta, which granted immunity to Epstein and certain associates described as potential co-conspirators, including recruiters.

The agreement resulted in Epstein pleading guilty to state-level charges in Florida and receiving a relatively short sentence, while limiting federal prosecution of others involved in the Florida activities. Robson has since advocated for full disclosure of the Epstein files and greater accountability, participating in Capitol Hill events alongside survivors.

Despite the fact that Robson admitted to assisting in trafficking minors, Khanna has commended her actions as evidence of challenging an unequal justice system.

Massie has repeatedly criticized the Trump administration’s management of the Epstein files. In a February 15, 2026, interview, he described the presidency as the “Epstein administration,” suggesting that President Trump had not fulfilled promises of transparency and remained connected to influential figures potentially linked to the case.

The congressman — who had only mentioned Epstein a handful of times before Trump endorsed a primary challenger against him — has pointed to delays, redactions, and perceived protections for powerful individuals.

He has not, however, presented direct evidence tying Trump to Epstein’s criminal activities, such as participation in abuse or trafficking.

Massie has also identified specific individuals mentioned in the files as warranting further Department of Justice scrutiny.

On Wednesday, during remarks on the House floor, the congressman named Leon Black, Jes Staley, and Leslie Wexner.

Black, a former Apollo Global Management executive, appears in documents that Massie described as raising questions. Staley, previously associated with J.P. Morgan, has faced separate allegations connected to Epstein. Wexner, the former L Brands and Victoria’s Secret CEO, was referenced in an FBI document as a potential co-conspirator in a child sex trafficking matter, though he has not been charged.

Massie highlighted resignations and actions in other countries but noted the absence of U.S. arrests related to these figures. His calls for investigation draw from file contents and public reports, without new, independently verified evidence of criminal involvement by these individuals.

Keeping with the general theme of Massie’s anti-Trump crusade, he did not provide any evidence of wrongdoing or suggest what should be done. Instead he just lobbed vague allegations of corruption against the administration and called for arrests anyway.

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