Both chambers of the US Congress approved a measure that forces the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the measure in a 427-1 vote, while the Senate quickly passed the bill through unanimous consent. The legislation now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature, who has publicly stated he will sign it after reversing his previous opposition.
The bill mandates that Attorney General Pam Bondi release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell no later than 30 days after the law is enacted. The materials include internal DOJ communications, flight logs, and associated entities.
Survivors of Epstein spoke in support of the measure at the US Capitol earlier on Tuesday, with one stating they had suffered “institutional betrayal” for years.
Trump’s reversal
The vote followed a surprise reversal by President Trump over the weekend. He initially attacked those in Congress pushing for the release but later urged fellow Republicans to vote to disclose the records, stating there was “nothing to hide.”
Despite the shift, Trump cast the issue as a distraction. “I just don’t want Republicans to take their eyes off all of the Victories that we’ve had,” he wrote on social media.
The President’s change in position caught the Republican congressional leadership off guard, as they had aligned their message with the White House for the past few weeks by opposing the files’ release. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had previously called the effort a “Democrat hoax,” voted in support of the measure on Tuesday.
The bill was introduced by Republican Congressman Thomas Massie and Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna. Mr. Massie has faced criticism from the President for his stance, arguing that Republicans who voted against release “will have voted to protect paedophiles.”
House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who also pushed for the release, criticised the President’s handling of the issue, stating the row had been one of the “most destructive things” to the Make America Great Again movement since 2016. She added that a patriot “serves the United States of America and Americans like the women standing behind me,” contrasting her position with the President’s former stance, who now calls her a “traitor.”
Content of the files
The “Epstein files” refer to documents amassed during criminal investigations into the financier, including transcripts of interviews with victims and witnesses, and items confiscated from raids of his various properties.
Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell in 2019 in what a coroner ruled was a suicide. He was being held on charges of sex trafficking, having previously been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.
The bill grants the Attorney General the power to withhold information that would jeopardise any active federal investigation or identifies any victims.
Trump’s own historical relationship with Epstein has been scrutinised. Last week, Democrats released email chains from Epstein’s estate that mention Trump and other prominent figures. The White House stated that the victim referenced in one email chain, Virginia Giuffre, said she never saw Trump participate in any abuse, and there is no implication of wrongdoing by him. The President has repeatedly said he cut ties with Epstein many years ago and was unaware of the criminal activity.
Read more:
