Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' leadership team wants House caucus members to keep clamoring for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files over their August break — but some Democrats say they are sick of talking about it.

Why it matters: House Democrats are divided over how hard to lean into the GOP's Epstein blowup — rather than President Trump's unpopular agenda items like cuts to Medicaid and impending tariffs — when they're back in their districts over the next five weeks.

• 📢 House Democrats' messaging arm sent an alert yesterday urging members to "amplify" a Wall Street Journal report that Trump is in the Epstein files and demand that "House Republicans stop covering up for Trump."
• But several House Democrats said they would rather spend August discussing more substantive policy matters, with one who spoke on condition of anonymity telling us: "Candidly, this whole thing is just such bulls**t."

🖼️ The big picture: Jeffries has surprised some of his members by bear-hugging rank-and-file efforts to force the release of the Epstein files despite his usual reluctance to engage on salacious issues.

• His messaging outfit, the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, sent several emails to members' offices last week outlining how to message around the Epstein issue, as Politico first reported.
• "We've encouraged members to lean into this, to talk to their constituents about it," said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), a DPCC co-chair. "It's an opportunity to speak with people who might usually disagree with you."
• The DPCC is set to meet early next week to discuss messaging for the August recess, according to a senior House Democrat.

Yes, but: Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), the co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, told us he is "not really focused" on Epstein.

• "The big focus is going to be on health care, because that's what people care about, and I don't think this issue is big outside the Beltway," he said.
• Similarly, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) told us in a text message: "We will focus on [the 'big, beautiful bill'], Medicaid, and tariffs raising costs."

Other Democrats argued that going after Republicans on policy and slamming them on Epstein aren't mutually exclusive.

• "I'm talking about Medicaid, I'm talking about tax breaks to billionaires — and I'm talking about Epstein, because he fits right in there," Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) told us.
• Asked at a press conference yesterday if he was concerned the Epstein issue would overshadow Democrats' attacks on Trump's "big, beautiful bill," Jeffries sounded a similar note, telling reporters, "The reality is that it's all connected."

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— Andrew Soldender

Sen. Thom Tillis joined the Fed tour today.

Why it matters: The question for Trump is if Tillis (R-N.C.) will join the battle on who should replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell — and which side he'll be on.

• On a Senate Banking Committee with a 13-11 partisan split, each Republican will have the ability to vote with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and deadlock the committee.
• That's especially true for the retiring Tillis, who bucked Trump on his "big, beautiful bill" and scuttled the nomination of Ed Martin, Trump's first choice to be U.S. attorney for D.C.

Driving the news: Tillis was a late tour addition, tagging along with Trump, banking panel Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and other administration officials who have been fiercely critical of Powell.

• Trump didn't repeat any of his Powell insults as they stood side by side in hard hats.
• "I'd love him to lower interest rates," Trump said.

🤔 The intrigue: Like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) balking at Mike Waltz's nomination as the U.S. ambassador to the UN this week, Tillis can slow-walk any Fed nominee he doesn't think is qualified.

• This month, he said that ending the Fed's independence would be a "huge mistake."

👀 What we're watching: Tillis is a lame-duck senator, but he hasn't gone full Bulworth. Yet.

• Still, he is full of pluck, telling us today to "release the damn" Epstein files.

The bottom line: Tillis — a fierce defender of the Fed's independence — is expected to play a crucial role in vetting Powell's successor.

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— Hans Nichols

Majority Leader John Thune closed out another week in the Capitol, setting up next week's nominations slog in the Senate that could drag into the weekend — and chip away at August recess.

Why it matters: Senators have the weekend to reset for what is expected to be a jam-packed floor schedule next week, with late-night votes and possible weekend work — unless and until Democrats plead mercy and agree to a time deal.

• Already, rare 8pm Monday votes are scheduled.

➗By the numbers: Senate Republicans have churned through 107 nominations so far this year, tracking with President Biden's pace and beating Trump's from his first term.

• That is despite Democratic resistance. Democrats have refused to allow a single confirmation by unanimous consent or voice vote, a courtesy usually extended to at least some of the president's lower-level nominees.

🔎 Zoom in: First up will be David Wright's nomination to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

• Then comes Earl Matthews' nomination as general counsel of the Department of Defense.
• Emil Bove is expected to get a final confirmation vote to be an appeals court judge.
• Thune also filed cloture on William Kimmitt for undersecretary of Commerce for international trade, Susan Monarez for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Samuel Brown for undersecretary of Veterans Affairs for memorial affairs.
• Waltz, Trump's former national security adviser, was passed by committee today (despite Paul's efforts) and his nomination to be UN ambassador could be pushed through next week, as well.

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— Stef Kight