Senate Republicans on Wednesday narrowly voted to table an amendment directing the Department of Justice to release all the files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) ambushed them with a procedural maneuver that left Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) fuming.

But the 51-49 vote revealed the deep divisions that persist within the party over how to handle the Epstein files amid loud calls from MAGA voters for more transparency.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R), a rising conservative star from Missouri, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a prominent libertarian-leaning conservative, broke with GOP leaders and voted against tabling the Epstein amendment.

"This has been my consistent position," Hawley told reporters after voting. "My position has long been I think we ought to release those files and trust the American people, just like we did with the MLK files and the JFK files. I think this is a similar deal."

Hawley noted President Trump said a few months ago the attorney general should release all the Epstein files that aren't classified.

Thune had little option but to let the Senate vote on releasing the Epstein files, something that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has worked hard to prevent in the House.

Thune’s other option would have been to pull the annual defense authorization bill — a top GOP priority off the floor.

Senior Republican senators earlier Wednesday expressed confidence that they would have enough votes to table Schumer’s amendment directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all Epstein-related files.

“We’re going to table it,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said of Schumer’s amendment after walking out of the weekly chairmen’s meeting.

But several Republican lawmakers initially said they were undecided, expressing the need for more “transparency” for Epstein’s crimes.

© The Hill