ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Jayapal, Khanna invite Epstein survivors to State of Union
Pramila said she will skip the address but has ensured the survivor's presence.
-
1759163132.png)
Anushka Pathak - Mon, 23, Feb 2026
- 15:26 EST
- 141
.jpg)
L-R: Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Rep. Ro Khanna / Courtesy: X/@RepJayapal, X/@RoKhanna
Reps. Pramila Jayapal and Ro Khanna announced that they will host survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse to attend President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Feb. 24.
The invitation comes as a symbol of ongoing demands for full accountability and transparency in the Epstein case.
ALSO READ: Dhillon says DOJ will sue Harvard over admissions data
Jayapal said she will not attend the president’s speech but is inviting Marijke Chartouni to ensure that Epstein survivors are represented in the chamber.
“While I will not be attending this year’s State of the Union, I am glad to be hosting Marijke to ensure that survivors of Epstein’s horrific abuse are in the room,” Jayapal said in a statement on Feb. 23.
She described Chartouni and other survivors as “so incredibly brave and resilient” in their push for justice and said the moment should remind elected officials that “the fight for truth will not end until the perpetrators and enablers of these crimes are held accountable.”
Chartouni, who has publicly identified as an Epstein survivor and appeared in the documentary “Surviving Jeffrey Epstein,” said accountability efforts remain stalled. “Thirty years after the FBI first ignored reports of Epstein’s crimes, Pam Bondi’s Justice Department continues to fiddle rather than hold perpetrators to account — even as other countries act decisively,” she said.
Chartouni added that she is attending the address “to remind the House, the Senate, and the Executive that survivors will not remain silent through this continued institutional failure.” She said, “This injustice cannot be buried, and we will continue to make our voices heard, at every opportunity, until there is truth and accountability for every survivor of Epstein and his ring.”
Khanna, co-author of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that led to the release of millions of related documents, also announced earlier on Feb. 20 that Haley Robson, a survivor who says Epstein trafficked her starting at age 16, will join him as his guest.
“Haley’s courageous fight is proof that this isn’t about politics, it’s about exposing America’s two-tiered system of justice and bringing accountability to the Epstein class involved in the horrific abuse of young girls. She and her fellow survivors' bravery was the catalyst for changing a rotten system and finally standing up for humanity and American values,” Khanna said.
“I’m honored and it came as a wonderful surprise to have been invited. I intend to show up fully with not only a hero, but a man who I have immense respect and admiration for,” Robson said.
Robson previously joined Khanna, Rep. Thomas Massie, and other survivors in a Capitol briefing to demand the release of Epstein files and accountability for those involved.
The invitation underscores ongoing demands for transparency and accountability in the Epstein case, which has drawn criticism over the federal government’s handling of investigative files and related proceedings.
Jayapal and Khanna have repeatedly advocated consistently for Epstein survivors. In early Feb. 2026, she joined Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to end what they described as secret surveillance of lawmakers reviewing Epstein-related files.
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Jayapal pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi to apologize directly to survivors present after the DOJ released files that exposed private victim information without sufficient redactions.
Jayapal has also shared letters from survivors criticizing the Justice Department’s actions and has stated publicly that she will not rest until survivors receive justice and recognition.
Khanna, as author of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, has issued statements on additional file releases and supported survivor Haley Robson's efforts, including her letter urging court enforcement of the act.
The State of the Union address comes as scrutiny continues over the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein-related matters, with survivors renewing calls for full accountability more than a decade after Epstein’s arrest and death.
Discover more at New India Abroad.
Related
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
Video
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login