'We Were Met with Silence': Epstein Survivors Stare Down SOTU as They Demand Justice

For survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the 2026 State of the Union address was meant to be more than a political spectacle; it was a chance to be seen.

They said that their presence was meant to show US President Donald Trump, who has persistently downplayed the case, dismissing scrutiny as a Democratic 'hoax', that the abuse they suffered caused real, lasting harm.

At least half a dozen Epstein survivors were invited by House Democrats to attend the State of the Union address as part of a broader effort to press for full transparency over the Epstein files, and to highlight the lack of accountability for powerful figures tied to the Epstein case, per The Washington Post.

Capitol Hill Press Con Ahead of the SOTU

Before the speech, a press conference on Capitol Hill was held where the president and the subsequent handling of the investigation, along with the FBI Director's behaviour in the case, were vehemently criticised.

They voiced concerns over the last Epstein file release, pointing out that alleged co-conspirators' names were redacted while details of the survivors were revealed, according to a report by The Insider.

Jess Michaels, reportedly one of Epstein's victims of abuse, said on her mission, 'I think it's really important for people to know why we're coming tonight.' She also reiterated that, 'It's to remind this administration that we're not going anywhere — and neither are the American people.'

Michaels told WUSA9, 'I really struggled to feel safe in the world. I've been dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder for about the last 35 years. It would take him getting arrested for me to feel safe enough to come forward.'

Michaels said she was introduced to Jeffrey Epstein in the early 1990s, and met him once more since. She was allegedly attacked during their second meeting. 'I was raped,' she recalled. 'For me, being a really assertive and confident young independent dancer, I thought if anything ever happened to me, I would know what to do — and I didn't. When it happened, I froze.'

Democratic minority leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer was reportedly bringing Danielle 'Dani' Bensky, another Epstein survivor who reportedly met the convicted sex offender when she was 17. Schumer said the president 'refuses to talk about' the Epstein files. Dani Bensky urged the administration to release all files linked to Jeffrey Epstein, accusing the president and the Department of Justice of a cover-up and protecting perpetrators.

She said, 'As we prepare to attend the State of the Union, survivors and this country have so many questions that need to be answered. The first one is: Where are the rest of the files? The truth must come out.

Why are there no investigations when there are plenty of people in these files to investigate? Have you read them? Why is the FBI director out there partying like a college kid when he should be investigating the vast criminal enterprise?'

Eptein Survivors: Erased?

His State of the Union address lasted over 100 minutes, but the US president seemingly avoided referencing the Epstein files. Lawmakers were seen wearing pins with the message, 'Stand With Survivors: Release the Files.'

Though Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025, the release of the files has been gradual, with many pages heavily redacted to obscure identifying details, according to a People report.

Annie Farmer, another Epstein survivor who attended the president's speech, recently spoke out, saying, 'Tonight, I joined my survivor sisters at this evening's State of the Union address, to remind the president that we are still demanding justice for survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.'

She ended her statement with, 'We were met with silence.'