Donald Trump Says He's Signed Epstein Files Bill, Ordering DOJ to Release Documents By Amy McCarthy 195

President Donald Trump has said that he’s signed legislation ordering the release of files related to the investigation of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender and alleged sex trafficker.

“I have just signed the bill to release the Epstein files,” he wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post on Wednesday, Nov. 19, adding, “This latest Hoax will backfire on the Democrats just as all of the rest have!”

Trump’s statement follows a unanimous decision by the Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 18, to send the House’s version of the legislation directly to Trump’s desk. The House passed its bill earlier that day in a rare 427-1 vote, with only Louisiana Republican Clay Higgins opposing the release of the files.

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The legislation comes after months of pressure from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to release the files, including calls from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican who has been increasingly willing to break with Trump while escalating her efforts to make the documents public in recent months.

The bill calls on the Justice Department to publish “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein,” according to an official House summary.

Despite the legislation, the DOJ will not be required to divulge every detail related to Epstein, receiving permission from Congress to withhold information that is classified, would identify victims, or interfere with a federal investigation.

The bill did note that information in the files cannot be withheld or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

The Justice Department previously said it withheld information related to Epstein investigations because it included images of victims and child sex abuse material. The information was sealed by a court to avoid exposing “any additional third parties to allegations of illegal wrongdoing,” The New York Times reported.

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The exact timing for when more documents will be made public remains unclear. The Justice Department has 30 days to comply with the request, and Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed on Nov. 19 that she intends to honor that deadline.

“We will continue to follow the law, again, while protecting victims, but also providing maximum transparency,” she told reporters.

When they are released, the material would include anything related to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, along with flight logs, travel records, and “individuals named or referenced (including government officials) in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein,” according to the bill’s summary.

This information is distinct from the emails from Epstein’s estate that were released by the House Oversight Committee earlier in the month. In those emails, Trump was mentioned numerous times by Epstein, who described the president as “borderline insane,” and claimed he “knew about the girls.”

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Signing the Epstein Files Transparency Act is a major reversal for Trump, who has long attempted to distance himself from his ex-friend and previously slammed Congress’ focus on unsealing more Epstein files.

Days before the bill went to a vote, when it appeared clear that the House already had enough support to pass the legislation, he changed his tune and encouraged House Republicans to vote for the release of the files.

In a Sunday, Nov. 16, post to his Truth Social account, Trump said he had chosen to support the legislation because “we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax.”