The House Judiciary Committee sparked controversy on Thursday after posting a misleading link on X (formerly Twitter) that falsely claimed to contain the much-anticipated Jeffrey Epstein files.
Instead, the link redirected users to Rick Astley’s 1987 song Never Gonna Give You Up, a well-known internet prank known as “Rickrolling.”
🚨 #BREAKING: EPSTEIN FILES RELEASED: https://t.co/aHw5fDDuur
— House Judiciary GOP 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryGOP) February 27, 2025
The prank came just hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested that additional Epstein-related documents could be released. Given the sensitive nature of the topic, many social media users criticized the GOP-led committee for making light of a serious issue involving high-profile figures and alleged crimes.
Rickrolling is an internet meme that originated in 2007, where users are tricked into clicking a link they believe is relevant, only to be redirected to the Never Gonna Give You Up music video. The meme, which started on 4chan, is a variation of an earlier prank known as “Duckrolling,” where users were misled into clicking a link leading to an image of a duck on wheels.
Users on X quickly expressed outrage, calling the move “insensitive” and “unprofessional.”“This isn’t funny. It’s disgraceful,” one user wrote. “There are real victims involved.”Another added, “A Rickroll? On something as serious as this? Delete this immediately.”
Earlier in the day, conservative influencers were seen posing at the White House with binders labeled Epstein Files: Phase 1. However, Trump ally Laura Loomer later claimed that the binders contained no actual files and were merely a photo opportunity.
The incident has fueled concerns over transparency regarding the Epstein case, with critics arguing that any legitimate files should be publicly accessible rather than selectively distributed.
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