House Oversight Chair James Comer says Epstein sufferer hearings will occur | Invesloan.com

Some Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivors are pushing back on first lady Melania Trump’s call for public congressional testimony, as House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., confirmed Friday “we will have hearings,” following a rare public statement Thursday by Trump at the White House where she came out swinging at those who have linked her to Epstein.

The first lady also called on Congress to conduct hearings “specifically centered around the survivors.”

“Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony,” Trump said. “Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record.”

But a group of 15 Epstein victims released a joint statement Friday against the move.

“First Lady Melania Trump is now shifting the burden onto survivors,” they said. “Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony,” they added. “Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice.”

MELANIA TRUMP DENOUNCES ‘LIES’ CONNECTING HER WITH DISGRACED FINANCIER JEFFREY EPSTEIN IN WHITE HOUSE EVENT

First lady Melania Trump delivers a statement Thursday at the White House denying any link to Jeffrey Epstein, while calling for a congressional hearing to allow survivors of his abuse to share their stories. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Comer said such hearings have always been on his radar.

“I agree ​with the first lady and appreciate what she said. We will have ⁠hearings,” Comer told Fox News’ Sandra Smith. “I’ve always planned on having hearings with the victims.

“My attorneys on the Oversight Committee have been communicating on a constant basis for months with the attorneys representing Epstein victims,” he added. “There are some victims who are willing to come in, [but] most victims aren’t, and I completely understand that, but we have always planned on having a hearing with Epstein’s victims once the depositions have been completed.”

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were both deposed by the Oversight Committee earlier this year for questioning related to Epstein in February, with planned depositions forthcoming for Microsoft founder Bill Gates in June.

EPSTEIN’S LAWYER ‘NOT AWARE’ OF ANY RELATIONSHIP TRUMP HAD WITH LATE CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER, COMER SAYS

House Oversight Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., says “we will have hearings” with Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivors. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images; Neil Rasmus/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images)

“The first lady accomplished three things [Thursday] as it relates to the disgraceful Epstein,” the first lady’s senior advisor, Marc Beckman, told “Fox & Friends” Friday. “First, she cleared her record; she set the record straight, she debunked all of the lies surrounding her and Epstein.”

MELANIA TRUMP ADVISOR SAYS SHE’S HAD ‘ENOUGH’ AFTER BREAKING SILENCE TO DENY JEFFREY EPSTEIN CONNECTION

Epstein abuse survivor Teresa Helm speaks during a news conference with lawmakers on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Nov. 18, 2025, outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images, File)

“Second, she became a champion for these women, for the victims, and finally, third, she’s a real leader in Washington, D.C. She’s calling on Congress to act now.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It is unclear when or how many of the survivors will come forward to testify.

“Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs,” the survivors said in the statement.