Nancy Mace Refuses to Fold, Keeps Signature on Epstein Petition

Mar 4, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) shouts as U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump was expected to address Congress on his early achievements of his presidency and his upcoming legislative agenda. Mandatory Credit: Win McNamee-Pool via Imagn Images

Representative Nancy Mace, the South Carolina Republican and sexual assault survivor, is standing her ground on one of the most politically fraught issues in Washington — the push to release all federal investigative files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.

No One Is Threatening Mace

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., speaks during the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition 25th Annual Spring Kickoff at Horizon Events Center on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Clive.

As of Wednesday, Mace is one of just three Republican women who have joined Democrats on a discharge petition that forces a House vote on a resolution demanding the Justice Department make the Epstein files public. Her decision comes despite reports that President Donald Trump, who has called the effort a “Democrat hoax,” has been privately pressuring his allies to back off. “I’ve been traveling, and I had a big press conference yesterday, so he and I have been playing phone tag,” Mace told The Independent. “No one has threatened me. The President hasn’t threatened me, and the President didn’t ask me to get off the discharge petition.”

The Petition Reached 218 Signatures On Wednesday

Nov 12, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus speak to the media after Rep. Grijalva was sworn in by Speaker Mike Johnson, after a record 50-day delay, on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

The petition — introduced by Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) — surpassed the 218-signature threshold on Wednesday after newly sworn-in Representative Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) added her name as the final signature. That milestone guarantees a House vote within the next two weeks, regardless of leadership’s opposition. Mace’s position puts her in an awkward political spot. She’s running for governor of South Carolina next year and would almost certainly need Trump’s endorsement to secure the Republican nomination. “The majority of this body has failed to hold anyone accountable,” she said earlier this week. “Transparency shouldn’t depend on party loyalty.”

This Is Personal For Mace

Jun 13, 2024; Washington, DC, USA; Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) arriving before a gathering with Former President Donald Trump at the Capitol Hill Club and Congressional House Republicans on June 13, 2024 on Capitol Hill. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

Mace’s determination appears deeply personal. She has spoken openly about being raped as a teenager — a trauma that led her to drop out of high school before earning her GED and later becoming the first woman to graduate from The Citadel, South Carolina’s storied military academy. In September, she met with several Epstein victims. According to those present, she left the meeting visibly shaken and in tears. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday night, Mace addressed both her own experience and her complicated relationship with Trump. “As a survivor, I will defend every last attack on President Trump to the death,” she wrote, “but I will never abandon other survivors.”

The One Issue That Everyone Can Get Behind

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, and candidate for South Carolina governor, speaks with the Greenville News statehouse and politics reporter Bella Carpentier on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at the Greenville News office in Greenville, South Carolina.

Democrats, including Representative Robert Garcia of California, the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, praised Mace, along with Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, for refusing to withdraw their support. Trump’s allies continue to insist the Epstein investigation is politically motivated. But the push for transparency has gained momentum across party lines, fueled by public distrust and anger over Epstein’s ties to the powerful.

A Long Way To Go

Even if the House passes the measure, the Republican-led Senate may not take it up, and Trump has promised a veto. Still, for Mace, the political risk seems secondary to the cause. “The truth shouldn’t scare anyone,” she said quietly as she left the House floor Wednesday. “Not if we really believe in justice.”