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Former U.S. President Donald Trump has signed legislation mandating the release of government files related to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. This marks a significant development in the ongoing scrutiny of these documents.
The Department of Justice is now required to publicly disclose all information from federal investigations into Epstein within 30 days. However, the department retains the authority to withhold files pertaining to active criminal investigations or those deemed to infringe upon personal privacy.
Trump reversed his previous opposition to the measure following pressure from Epstein’s victims and members of the Republican Party.
With his support, the resolution passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming approval.
Trump had initially dismissed the need for the document release, describing it as a Democrat-led “hoax” intended to “deflect” attention from his party’s agenda. This position represented a shift from his stance leading up to the 2024 election.
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” he stated.
While a congressional vote was not strictly required for the release, the House of Representatives passed the legislation by a vote of 427-1. The Senate subsequently gave unanimous consent, sending the bill to Trump for his signature.
Representative Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana, cast the lone dissenting vote in the House, expressing concern about the breadth of information that could be released. He cautioned that it could expose and endanger “thousands of innocent people” who may have provided information to investigators.
Under the newly signed law, Attorney General Pam Bondi is obligated to release the documents within a 30-day timeframe.
The files subject to release encompass records from criminal investigations into Epstein, including interview transcripts with victims and witnesses, as well as items seized during raids on his properties. These materials include internal Justice Department communications, flight logs, and information pertaining to individuals and entities connected to Epstein.
However, exceptions exist.
The resolution grants the Justice Department the authority to withhold documents related to ongoing criminal investigations. Following the release of estate documents last week, Trump indicated his intention to request Bondi to investigate Epstein’s connections to individuals who had apparently communicated with him. Bondi affirmed that the Justice Department “will pursue this with urgency and integrity.”
Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican and one of the bill’s architects, expressed concern that the move could lead to the withholding of certain federal files.
“I’m concerned that [Trump is] opening a flurry of investigations, and I believe they may be trying to use those investigations as a predicate for not releasing the files. That’s my concern,” he stated.
Bondi also has the discretion to withhold information that could identify victims or reveal their medical records, leading to speculation that portions of the files will be redacted. The extent of these redactions remains uncertain.
“I’m glad in the act itself they put specific language reinforcing the privacy rights of the victims here,” noted Christine Dunn, an attorney specializing in sexual violence and victims’ rights.
“It’s important to make sure that their privacy is protected and to avoid retraumatizing these victims,” she added.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump pledged to make the files public. Early in the year, his administration released thousands of pages of documents from the Epstein investigation, primarily flight logs. While Trump suggested further releases were forthcoming, Bondi later announced in July that no additional documents would be released.
This decision prompted lawmakers from both parties to introduce the resolution compelling the files’ release. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican and staunch Trump ally, was a key proponent of the resolution, despite recent public disagreements with Trump regarding the measure.
Following the resolution’s passage, Greene announced her intention to publicly read the names of any powerful individuals implicated in the released files on the House floor.
The anticipated files are distinct from the more than 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate released by Congress last week, some of which mention Trump.
These include 2018 messages from Epstein in which he stated, “I am the one able to take him down” and “I know how dirty donald is” in reference to Trump.
Trump and Epstein were friends for many years, but Trump has stated that they had a falling out in the early 2000s, prior to Epstein’s initial arrest. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Speaking to reporters on Monday night, Trump asserted that Republicans had “nothing to do with Epstein.”
“It’s really a Democrat problem,” he said. “The Democrats were Epstein’s friends, all of them.”
The family of Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, issued a statement describing Trump’s signing of the bill as “nothing short of monumental” for Giuffre and other survivors.
“As we look towards the next chapter, we remain vigilant. This work is not finished. Every name must be revealed, regardless of power, wealth, or party affiliation,” her brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, stated.
Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell in 2019, with a coroner ruling the death a suicide. He was being held on sex trafficking charges, having previously been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
The once prominent financier had ties with numerous high-profile figures, including Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the brother of King Charles; Trump; Trump’s former advisor Steve Bannon; and individuals from the realms of media, politics, and entertainment.
On Wednesday, former Harvard president Larry Summers took a leave from teaching at the university as the school investigated his links to Epstein, revealed in a series of email exchanges.
Kayla Epstein contributed to this report.
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