President Donald Trump has called on Republicans in Congress to support the release of files relating to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a reversal from his earlier reluctance to back such a move. His intervention comes as pressure mounts within the House of Representatives to make public documents held by the justice department, with bipartisan voices demanding transparency.
The president’s remarks were delivered in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, shortly after House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that a vote on the matter could help dispel allegations linking Trump to Epstein. Johnson stated that releasing the files would put to rest speculation “that he [Trump] has something to do with it”.
Trump wrote: “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide. And it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat ‘Shutdown’.”
The president’s comments follow years of scrutiny over his past association with Epstein. The two men were photographed together decades ago, though Trump has repeatedly insisted that their relationship soured long before Epstein’s criminal convictions. Last week, emails released by a House committee revealed that Epstein believed Trump “knew about the girls”, though the meaning of the phrase remains unclear. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Despite previously dismissing the files as part of a Democratic smear campaign, Trump has now instructed the justice department to investigate prominent Democrats’ connections to Epstein. Critics argue that this move could be an attempt to deflect attention or limit the scope of disclosures, though Trump has denied any effort to conceal information. “The House Oversight Committee can have whatever they are legally entitled to, I DON’T CARE! All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT, which is the Economy, ‘Affordability’,” he added in another post.
Republican congressman Thomas Massie publicly questioned Trump’s motives, suggesting the president may be making a “last-ditch effort” to prevent the full release of the files by ordering a fresh investigation. Massie, alongside Democratic congressman Ro Khanna, has been leading the bipartisan push to ensure all government-held documents are made public. Both expressed concern about the White House’s latest actions.
Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Massie criticised Trump for directing attorney general Pam Bondi to examine Democrats with ties to Epstein. The decision has further complicated the debate within the Republican Party, which has generally remained loyal to Trump. However, divisions have become more apparent, particularly after Trump withdrew his support for congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Greene, once one of Trump’s staunchest allies, had criticised Republicans over their handling of the Epstein files, prompting the president to distance himself from her.
Khanna, who originally sponsored the petition calling for a vote on the release, said on Sunday that he expected more than 40 Republicans to support the measure. With Republicans holding a narrow majority in the House, 219 seats compared with 214 for Democrats, the outcome of the vote could prove decisive in determining whether the files are made public.
The debate over the Epstein documents has become a flashpoint in Congress, reflecting broader tensions within the Republican Party and raising questions about transparency, accountability, and political strategy. As the issue moves towards a vote, it is likely to remain a source of controversy both within Washington and beyond.
