Nancy Mace, a representative from South Carolina, has addressed criticism following her emotional departure from a Congressional meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. On the day of the meeting, Mace exited a closed-door session with six Epstein victims visibly distressed, prompting her to wave off questions from reporters.
In a statement posted on X later that evening, Mace described experiencing a “full-blown panic attack” as she listened to the victims’ stories. She expressed her struggle, stating, “I can’t breathe,” and emphasized the emotional toll it took on her as a recent survivor, saying, “I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us.”
Her comments drew a significant backlash, with critics suggesting she used the situation to garner attention. Notably, Savanah Hernandez, a right-wing podcaster affiliated with Turning Point USA, accused Mace of making every situation about herself.
Mace responded to Hernandez’s criticism hours later, defending her reaction by questioning how one could sit across from heartbroken victims without feeling pain. “So you’re telling me you can sit across from Epstein victims who are heartbroken and distraught and have been for 30 years and feel no pain,” Mace wrote.
The Daily Beast sought comment from Mace’s office but had not received a response by the time of publication.
Mace’s personal history has recently been in the public eye. In February, she delivered a speech on the House floor, alleging that four men, including her ex-fiancé, Patrick Bryant, had drugged and raped her and other women. She also accused South Carolina’s attorney general, Alan Wilson, of ignoring evidence related to these allegations and mistreating women who come forward. Wilson, who is campaigning for governor against Mace, denied having prior knowledge of her allegations. Bryant has publicly denied Mace’s accusations.
Having faced significant challenges throughout her life, Mace has previously disclosed that she was molested at the age of 14 and raped at 16, events that caused her to leave high school. She made history in 2021 as the first Republican woman to represent South Carolina in Congress and the first woman to graduate from the Citadel, a prominent military college.
Mace’s political career has included sharp critiques of transgender issues, which have attracted media attention. Although she once identified as “pro-transgender rights,” she has since shifted her stance, and her team has been instructed to secure daily media appearances for her, as outlined in an internal handbook that referred to her as “NATIONAL NANCY.”
On the topic of Epstein’s victims, Mace has publicly stated her support for “full transparency.” Following the meeting with victims, the House Oversight Committee released over 30,000 pages of documents, most of which were already available to the public. In a bid for further accountability, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) have sought to force a vote on the release of all Epstein-related files held by the Department of Justice.
Despite this push, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has resisted calls for a vote, instead scheduling a session that directs the Oversight Committee to continue its investigation into the matter.
