Washington : Congressmen Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna’s months-long campaign to force US President Donald Trump’s hand on the Jeffrey Epstein files started with a text.

Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Khanna, a California Democrat, had built a relationship over the years. They often chat on the House of Representatives’ floor, and this northern summer, they teamed up on a failed attempt to use a war powers resolution to limit the president’s power to take military action against Iran without congressional approval.

At some point, they exchanged mobile phone numbers. And when Massie saw Khanna try to use an amendment to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files in July, he had an idea. He realised the manoeuvre could be successful if it were led by a Republican.

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