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A nearly unanimous vote from the Republican-led US Congress on Tuesday mandated the disclosure of Justice Department documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. President Donald Trump, who had previously opposed the move for several months, is now expected to sign the bill as early as Wednesday, according to a White House insider.
Two days after shifting his stance, the House of Representatives approved the measure with an overwhelming vote of 427-1. This resolution compels the release of all publicly available records concerning Epstein to the predominantly Republican Senate, which promptly passed it. The bill is now heading to Trump for his signature, with plans for him to sign it soon.
A senior White House official confirmed Trump intends to sign the bill upon receipt. The Epstein case has been a persistent political issue for Trump, fueled partly by conspiracy theories he has circulated about Epstein’s connections to influential individuals and the circumstances surrounding his death, officially ruled a suicide in 2019 while imprisoned in Manhattan.
Epstein was a financier based in New York, notorious for socializing with some of the country’s most powerful men.
Victims of Epstein’s alleged abuse rallied outside the Capitol, holding photos of themselves at younger ages—a poignant reminder of when they first encountered Epstein. Their efforts gained visibility as they applauded lawmakers from the House’s public gallery, some visibly emotional.
Despite reversing his stance, Trump remains upset about the media scrutiny surrounding Epstein. During a visit to the Oval Office, he dismissed questions about Epstein as coming from a “terrible person” and criticized the media broadly, suggesting that a television network should have its license revoked.
The White House was somewhat caught off guard by the swift passage of the bill, anticipating a longer process in the Senate. The controversy over Epstein has affected Trump’s approval ratings, which recently dipped to their lowest point this year, with only about 20% of voters approving his handling of the situation, including just 44% of Republicans.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Trump was known to associate socially with Epstein, a friendship he described as having cooled over time. Nonetheless, this connection remains a weak spot for him among his supporters.
Before the House vote, a group of around two dozen Epstein survivors, some of whom accused Epstein of sexual abuse when they were teenagers, gathered with Congress members to urge the release of the records. They displayed photos of themselves at ages as young as 14.
Following the vote, many of the victims expressed their gratitude, visibly moved and hugging each other. Meanwhile, Trump has repeatedly claimed no personal connection to Epstein’s crimes, branding the controversy a “Democratic hoax,” despite some Republicans actively advocating for the release of investigative records.
Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who spearheaded the effort to bring the bill to a vote, accused the Justice Department of shielding sex traffickers and pedophiles from justice. He emphasized that accountability would be proven when wealthy men are taken into custody and brought to trial.
On the other hand, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a strong supporter of Trump who has voiced frustration over the Justice Department’s secrecy, said Trump had pressured her to withdraw her support for the resolution. She defended her stance, asserting that true patriots serve the United States and that Epstein is an example of treasonous behavior.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to state-level charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor and served 13 months in jail. In 2019, federal prosecutors accused him of sex trafficking minors, charges he denied before his death.
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