President Donald Trump signed legislation on Wednesday, authorizing the Justice Department to release files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The bill, which passed the House with a 421-1 vote, seeks to disclose all unclassified records and investigative materials concerning Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and those referenced in his legal cases. Trump emphasized that the Justice Department had already turned over nearly 50,000 pages of documents to Congress, highlighting his claims that the Biden administration had failed to release any files on Epstein. The move comes amid heightened scrutiny of Trump’s ties to Epstein, which had intensified after the DOJ and FBI closed their investigations in July. Trump framed the release of the files as a necessary step to move past what he called a ‘Democrat hoax’ and to restore public trust.
Following months of pressure from lawmakers, including key figures such as Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, the House voted overwhelmingly to approve the measure. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the only dissenting vote, citing concerns that the release could expose thousands of unnamed witnesses and potentially jeopardize future investigations. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who ultimately supported the measure, expressed similar reservations, warning about the risks of revealing identity information on law enforcement officers and potential whistleblowers.
Trump’s public support for releasing the files has been framed as a political move to distance his administration from the Epstein case, which has been a focal point for critics. The legislation passed by the Senate hours after the House vote, with bipartisan support. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the Justice Department would comply with the law, planning to release the files online within 30 days in a searchable format. The Epstein Files Transparency Act specifically targets the release of all unclassified materials, including internal DOJ communications and details of trafficking allegations, while excluding classified information and victim identities.
The push for transparency intensified after Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released three emails from Epstein’s estate that mentioned Trump, sparking a broader release of 20,000 pages of documents by Republicans. These emails, including correspondence with author Michael Wolff and former President Barack Obama’s counsel Kathy Ruemmler, reveal Epstein’s discussions about Trump, though without concrete accusations of wrongdoing. Despite the release of documents, Trump has not faced formal charges linked to Epstein, and the files do not allege any misconduct on his part.
Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges, was a central figure in multiple legal cases, including allegations of sex trafficking. Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime associate, was convicted on charges including sex trafficking of a minor and is currently serving a 20-year sentence. The debate over the files continues to fuel political discourse, with Trump and his supporters framing the release as a necessary step toward justice and transparency, while critics argue it could endanger ongoing investigations and the anonymity of witnesses.