President Donald Trump appears to be trying to keep the GOP from breaking after Democrats leaked emails from disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein showing new ties between him and the president, according to one analyst.
Investigative political journalist Tara Palmeri argued on Tuesday during an interview on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" that the leaked emails will "make it impossible" for the GOP to continue hiding the files. She added that there are signs that Republicans are starting to break from Trump on the issue.
The emails mention Trump by name, and also describe him as "the dog that hasn't barked," a phrase that some have interpreted to mean Trump knew about Epstein's crimes and remained silent.
"The pressure is going to be more intense on them now," Palmeri said. "I can only imagine the whip count, but I just don't know how they take this vote, especially as these emails come out."
Reports indicate that the White House has already started pressuring House lawmakers to withdraw their support for the petition to release the Epstein files. One lawmaker the White House has contacted is Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), who said after speaking with Trump officials that she is "convinced" there is a cover-up happening.
"It was strategic. Democrats knew what they were doing by waiting and holding on to these emails and making it so that it would become so impossible for this party to stand behind the president on this one," Palmeri added. "I just don't think it's sustainable that the White House maintains a position having taken everybody up the Hill, saying, 'We're going to release them. We're going to be transparent. We're going to get accountability for the victims,' and so on, to suddenly put the shutters down and to try and maintain that position."
'I think it is politically unsustainable, and I think that with a lot of people breaking ranks, we know from the MAGA crowd how enraged they are about this," Palmeri said. "Trump has to be very careful, I think."