Lawmakers in Washington are preparing for a pivotal vote on a measure that would require the justice department to release a large collection of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The push has intensified after US President Donald Trump reversed his earlier opposition and urged Republicans in Congress to support full disclosure, saying the country has nothing to hide. His change of position comes as a rising number of Republicans showed willingness to defy him and vote in favour of releasing the files. The House of Representatives is set to begin procedural debates and voting at ten in the morning Eastern Time, with several Epstein victims expected to be on Capitol Hill to advocate for transparency. The proposal would require the justice department to publish all relevant files in a searchable and downloadable format within thirty days.
If the measure passes in the House, it will face an uncertain future in the Senate, where Republican leaders have not committed to advancing it. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated he has not heard widespread interest among Republican senators, but acknowledged that momentum in the House could change the conversation. Other Republican leaders have expressed mixed views, with some insisting that accountability matters while others argue the issue has become a political tool aimed at weakening the president. Even if the Senate approves the measure and President Trump signs it into law, the justice department would still have the authority to redact or withhold certain information to protect personal privacy, active investigations, and sensitive law enforcement techniques.
These exceptions could lead to significant delays, especially as Trump has called for an investigation into Epstein’s alleged connections with prominent Democrats such as Bill Clinton and Larry Summers. Legal experts note that ongoing investigations could restrict public access to some records in order to avoid prejudicial publicity. Campaigners for transparency argue that only full disclosure will restore public trust and silence speculation that has grown around the case. Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, now publicly clashing with Trump over the issue, said the entire country is asking why these files have been protected for so long.
