Trump signs bill approving release of Epstein files

Donald Trump has approved a bill requiring the US Justice Department to publish its files on Jeffrey Epstein, announcing the move on Truth Social with the declaration: “I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” His post included a lengthy attack on Democrats, accusing them of using the Epstein issue—“which affects them far more than Republicans”—to divert attention from what he called Republican successes.

The bill reached Trump’s desk after the Senate completed procedural steps, following a decisive vote in the House of Representatives, where 427 members voted in favour and only one opposed. The Justice Department now has 30 days to release the documents it possesses on the convicted sex offender.

How it reached this point

During last year's election campaign, Trump pledged to fully release the Epstein files, but later dismissed the topic as a Democratic “hoax.” His own past association with Epstein has long been scrutinized, though Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His recent shift in tone came unexpectedly over the weekend, when he urged Republicans to support the “Epstein Files Bill” and hinted he would sign it. He later said that his intervention helped secure the near-unanimous House vote.

Trump links Epstein to Democrats

In his announcement, Trump repeatedly portrayed Epstein as aligned with Democrats, highlighting the financier’s past connections with public figures like Bill Clinton. He also called for investigations into Epstein’s ties to Mr Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman—a major Democratic donor. All three individuals were named in the 20,000 Epstein-related records released recently by the House Oversight Committee, though none have been accused of crimes.

Mr Summers has since said he will withdraw from public life, expressing “deep shame” over his relationship with Epstein.

Additional documents—emails, photos, and other materials—released in recent weeks have referenced Trump himself, former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson, and former British royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Both men, like Trump, deny any wrongdoing. Mountbatten-Windsor faces a committee deadline today to respond to an official request for information.

The family of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein and Prince Andrew, called the signing of the bill “nothing short of monumental,” saying that “every name must be revealed, regardless of power, wealth, or party.” They described the development as a significant step toward long-overdue justice.

Tensions within MAGA circles

The Epstein scandal has caused fractures in Trump’s own political movement. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent Trump ally who recently clashed with him, appeared alongside Epstein survivors on the Capitol steps before Congress voted. “These women have endured an unimaginable fight,” she said, praising their persistence.

Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 in a New York prison while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He had previously been convicted in 2008 for paying a minor for sex.