- New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised Donald Trump for launching joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
- Ocasio-Cortez accused Trump of "risking world war" to divert attention from the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, citing a pattern of impulsive military actions without clear exit strategies.
- She suggested that the timing of these actions consistently coincided with developments or revelations concerning the Epstein files.
- Other lawmakers, including Republican Representative Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor Greene, also linked the military action to a distraction from the Epstein files.
- The Department of Justice has faced criticism over its handling of the Epstein files' release, with ongoing investigations by the House Oversight Committee involving figures like Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Attorney General Pam Bondi.