The Jeffrey Epstein files could be made public before the end of the year after the US House voted overwhelmingly for their release.
It comes after President Donald Trump changed his tune about the long-awaited files. The bill is expected to move quickly through the Senate and reach President Donald Trump’s desk.
Trump has already promised he’ll sign the bill after months of calling the issue a ‘Democratic hoax’.
Only one representative Clay Higgins, from Louisiana, a fervent Donald Trump supporter, voted against the bill.
But now, even Trump has bowed to the growing momentum behind the bill and said Republicans should vote for it.
The potentially historic release comes after the House Oversight Committee released thousands of pages of emails and other documents from Epstein’s estate, showing his connections to global leaders, political figures and Trump.
Journalists and tech CEOs were also included in some of the released documents. Peter Thiel, the founder of PayPal and Palantir, was invited by Epstein to visit his island in 2018.
A representative for Thiel told Politico that he had never visited the island.
As for the President, Trump has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago, but tried for months to move past the demands for disclosure.
On Monday, he told reporters that Epstein was connected to more Democrats and that he didn’t want the Epstein files to ‘detract from the great success of the Republican Party.’
Still, many in the Republican base have continued to demand the release of the files.
Several survivors of Epstein’s abuse will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to push for the release of the files.
How did the vote unfold?
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Around a dozen Epstein victims, and Virginia Giuffre’s brother, were seated in the front row of the gallery as the vote got underway. Several left early when it became clear the vote would pass.
It remains to be seen how quickly the files will be searchable by the public.
It is not clear how redacted the files will be or what names will be published.
Trump hasn’t said anything about the vote yet either, but he did seem irritable when asked about it by an ABC reporter in the Oval Office yesterday.
‘It’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude,’ he said. ‘I think you are a terrible reporter. It’s the way you ask these questions. You’re all psyched. Somebody psychs you over at ABC.’
‘I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,’ Trump said. ‘I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert. But I guess I turned out to be right.’
What happens now?
If the bill is passed by the Senate and approved for release by Trump, the files won’t be available immediately for the public to view.
The files about Epstein would likely be made into a ‘searchable and downloadable’ format within 30 days, then released to the public.
The bill would go further, forcing the release within 30 days of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison.
Information about Epstein’s victims or continuing federal investigations would be allowed to be redacted, but not information due to ’embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.’
What exactly are the Epstein files?
The Epstein files refer to all of the evidence gathered by investigators working on the criminal cases against Epstein and his associates.
Many of those court documents – including flight logs for Epstein’s private jet – have already been made public, but many more remain sealed, raising speculation over who else could be implicated.
When Trump returned to the White House, he released some of Epstein’s files and promised more would follow, saying he had ‘no problem’ making the documents public.
The FBI said it was reviewing ‘tens of thousands’ of documents relating to Epstein, and these are being redacted to protect the identity of victims and any other ongoing investigations.
Is Trump in the Epstein files?
The short answer – yes. He’s mentioned throughout emails, and is reportedly in Epstein’s ‘black book’ of contacts.
But the President has always emphatically denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation.
It’s also been confirmed that the two businessmen flew between New York and Palm Beach together regularly, partying at Mar-a-Lago Club and eating together at Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan.
Speaking to New York Magazine in 2002, Trump said: ‘I’ve known Jeff for 15 years, terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with.’
Trump insisted he had never been on Epstein’s plane or private island, but flight logs released during a past trial suggested the US president flew on Epstein’s private jet seven times.
His ex-wife, Marla Maples, their daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric had also been listed as passengers in the logs.
In September, a copy of a lewd birthday letter that Trump allegedly sent to Epstein was released by US lawmakers.
House Democrats shared the note – which Trump has denied writing – on X more than a month-and-a-half after it was first reported to exist.
The letter included Trump’s signature as well as text inside the outline of a naked woman.
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