Rep. Nancy Mace Addressed Why She Was Seen Crying After Meeting With Epstein Survivors
"I had a very difficult time listening to their stories."
Published Sept. 3 2025, 10:40 a.m. ET
If you need support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org to chat online one-on-one with a support specialist at any time.
On Sept. 2, 2025, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee had a closed meeting to hear the testimonies of some of the survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace was among those in attendance at the meeting, but after she was shown leaving the room in tears, many wondered why Nancy Mace was crying.
She later shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) to explain why hearing the women's testimonies brought her to tears. She also took the opportunity to make another post, where she condemned Democrats for using the survivors who testified about Epstein as "a political wedge." What many are curious about, though, is why Mace was so emotional following the meeting.
Why was Nancy Mace crying after her meeting with Jeffrey Epstein's survivors?
According to the New York Post, Mace left the meeting, wiping tears from her eyes. She was photographed by the waiting press as she quickly made her way down the hall. The meeting between the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and six of the women who accused Epstein of sexual assault was about the growing restlessness from the public for the government to properly handle the Epstein case.
After Mace left the meeting, she posted about it on X to share why she stormed out and why she was crying.
"As a recent survivor (not 2 years in), I had a very difficult time listening to their stories," Mace wrote. "Full blown panic attack. Sweating. Hyperventilating. Shaking. I can't breathe. I feel the immense pain of how hard all victims are fighting for themselves because we know absolutely no one will fight for us."
She added in her post, "God bless all survivors." Despite the backlash from the public, primarily those against the Republican Party, regarding wanting details of the Epstein case files released to the public, Mace wrote in her separate X post that she, as a Republican, has fought more for the victims.
She wrote that "Dems couldn't even protect the identities of the Epstein victims when they drafted their subpoena."
Nancy Mace made sexual assault allegations against her ex-fiancé.
In February 2025, Mace spoke at a House of Representatives meeting, per NBC News, to share her allegations of sexual assault against her ex-fiancé, Patrick Bryant. She also called out other government officials for allegedly mishandling a case against Bryant and four other men who had allegedly assaulted her and other women.
"We're talking about rape, non-consensual photos, non-consensual videos of women and underage girls, and the premeditated, calculated exploitation of women and girls in my district," she said at the time.
Mace also claimed that, when she had Bryant's phone in her possession, she discovered videos of "incapacitated" women being raped. She also alleged that one of the videos featured her in a similar position.
As of August 2025, Bryant and the other accused men have not been convicted of any crimes related to Mace's allegations.
Per Live 5 WCSC News, Bryant said in a statement, "I categorically deny these allegations. I take this matter seriously and will cooperate fully with any necessary legal processes to clear my name."