US President Donald Trump has signed a bill mandating the release of all files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The legislation requires the Justice Department to make the investigation records available in a searchable and downloadable format within 30 days.
Trump had previously opposed releasing the files but reversed his position last week following pressure from Epstein’s victims and members of his own Republican Party. With his backing, the bill passed both chambers of Congress overwhelmingly, with the House approving it 427-1 and the Senate granting unanimous consent.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested that the files could expose Democrats’ connections to Epstein, writing, “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!”
Last week, about 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate were released, including messages from 2018 in which Epstein claimed he could “take down” Trump and referenced knowing “how dirty Donald is.” Trump has acknowledged knowing Epstein years ago but says they fell out in the early 2000s and has denied any wrongdoing.
Despite Trump’s signature, full public access to the files is not guaranteed. Sections may still be withheld if they involve personal privacy concerns or ongoing investigations. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, a co-author of the bill, expressed concerns that withheld files could be used to justify further investigations instead of releasing information.
