Unfazed and unrepentant, Trump urges Republicans to release all Epstein files
US President Donald Trump has called on Republicans in Congress to vote for the release of documents tied to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a sharp departure from his earlier efforts to block public access to the records.
On a post published on the social media platform Truth Social on Sunday, Trump wrote, "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide."
He dismissed the scrutiny as a "Democrat Hoax" designed to "deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party."
Trump also claimed he had instructed the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate any Democrat with knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
His post followed remarks from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who suggested that releasing DOJ documents in the Epstein case could help dispel lingering claims that Trump had links to Epstein's abuse and trafficking of underage girls.
Trump had pledged during his presidential campaign that he would make the files public if elected, but after taking office, he actively pressured Republican lawmakers to withhold the documents, fueling suspicions that his name appears multiple times in the files and that he maintained a close association with Epstein, aware of, and possibly complicit in, his criminal activities.
Trump’s inconsistent position has stirred considerable tension within the GOP. Notably, he withdrew his endorsement of Georgia Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a vocal advocate for releasing the files.
The administration has provided thousands of private documents to the House Oversight Committee (HOC), but the DOJ still retains materials that remain confidential, including witness interviews.
Some House members, including Republicans, have demanded a vote to release the unclassified documents held by the government. According to a source familiar with the House schedule, that vote is expected on Tuesday.
It remains uncertain whether the Senate will consider the matter, despite Trump’s apparent support for disclosure in the House. If the measure passes both chambers, Trump himself would need to authorize the release.
Epstein reportedly hanged himself in his cell at the Manhattan Correctional Center in August 2019, despite previous reports that he was under suicide watch after a possible suicide attempt in July that year in his New York jail cell.
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