WASHINGTON, D.C. – US President Donald Trump has urged House Republicans to vote in favour of releasing the highly anticipated “Epstein files,” marking a sharp reversal from his earlier opposition and signalling a major political shift ahead of a crucial vote in Congress this week.
“House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday night shortly after landing at Joint Base Andrews following a weekend in Florida.
The about-face comes as dozens of GOP lawmakers signalled they were prepared to break ranks and support legislation compelling the Justice Department to publicly release unclassified records tied to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The House is expected to vote this week on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the release of communications, investigative records and other documents linked to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
While the bill appears to have enough support to clear the House, its fate in the Senate remains uncertain. If passed by both chambers, Trump himself would have to sign it into law.
Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican and co-sponsor of the bill, told ABC News that as many as 100 GOP members could support the measure, underscoring its growing bipartisan momentum.
Trump’s latest comments also follow the Justice Department’s confirmation that it will examine Epstein’s alleged connections to major banks and several high-profile Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton — who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Trump said he had instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to look into Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others.
A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson said the firm regretted “any association” with Epstein and denied facilitating his crimes.
The political pressure escalated last week after Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released several email exchanges between Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
One message referenced Trump directly, noting a victim had “spent hours” at Epstein’s home with him — an implication Trump has dismissed as a “hoax.”
In response, House Republicans published more than 20,000 documents in what they described as an effort to counter Democratic “cherry-picking” and attempts to “slander President Trump.”
The internal tensions within the GOP have also spilled into the open. Trump has been engaged in a public feud with Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of his closest allies.
Over two days, Trump labelled her “wacky” and a “traitor,” while Greene questioned whether he still represented the “America First” agenda, pointing to his wavering stance on the Epstein files.
Victims and survivors of Epstein’s abuse are also applying pressure. In a letter to Congress, survivors — including relatives of prominent accuser Virginia Giuffre — urged lawmakers to vote for full transparency.
“Look into the eyes of your children, your sisters, your mothers, and your aunts,” the letter reads. “Imagine if they had been preyed upon. … When you vote, we will remember your decision at the ballot box.”
The House vote is expected within days, setting the stage for one of the most consequential disclosures related to Epstein’s network since his death.
