Trump’s South Carolina Panic: Epstein Files Rebel Nancy Mace Threatens MAGA Stronghold

Nancy Mace is shaking up South Carolina’s Republican primary in a way that has President Trump’s closest allies sweating. The congresswoman, best known for her defiance on two fronts — demanding the release of the Epstein files and opposing a war in Iran — is polling at a strong 18 percent in the June 9 primary, just behind Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and ahead of other major contenders like Attorney General Alan Wilson and Rep. Ralph Norman.

Axios reports that Trump’s strategists are losing sleep over a possible run-off scenario if no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote. The nightmare matchup? Mace versus Norman — two Republicans with a history of “sabotaging” Trump’s agenda and ambitions.

A White House source put it bluntly: “Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman sabotaged Trump when it mattered most. Their reward shouldn’t be the governor’s mansion.” Norman endorsed Nikki Haley over Trump for the 2024 presidential nomination, while Mace’s recent actions have drawn White House ire despite her self-styled image as “Trump in heels.”

Mace’s defiance is fresh and sharp. In March, she walked out of a House Armed Services Committee briefing on Iran, declaring she would not support “troops on the ground in Iran.” She also signaled support for a resolution to limit the president’s war powers on Iran, though she ultimately did not vote for it.

But Mace’s most galling move for the Trump camp was her vote last fall to release the Epstein files to the public — a move reportedly made despite pressure from the administration to back down. After the files came out, Mace publicly accused the Justice Department of withholding documents and bungling the case, framing the issue as a moral imperative beyond party lines: “What’s wrong is wrong,” she said.

White House aides remain baffled by Mace’s repeated requests for Trump’s endorsement given her opposition. “Nancy has asked for an endorsement countless times, which is confusing considering she teamed up with [Rep. Thomas] Massie to launch a dishonest attack on the administration regarding the Epstein case,” one strategist told Axios.

For Trump, endorsing a candidate in this race is a delicate balancing act. Both Mace and Norman hold critical votes in the House, complicating any clear political signal. But one thing is clear: Mace’s insurgent campaign is a direct challenge to the former president’s grip on South Carolina GOP politics — and his team is panicking.