Inside the Revolt: How Congress Forced Trump to Accept Epstein Disclosure.
The U.S. Congress voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to require the release of unclassified Justice Department files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, concluding months of internal Republican tensions and clearing the way for the measure to reach President Donald Trump’s desk as early as Wednesday.
The House passed the resolution 427–1, and the Senate approved it moments later, two days after Trump abruptly reversed his long-standing opposition to the disclosure effort. A senior White House official said Trump intends to sign the bill upon arrival.
The vote followed years of public pressure from victims who have accused Epstein of serial abuse, as well as growing mistrust among many Trump supporters who believe the government has withheld information about Epstein’s network and the circumstances of his 2019 death in federal custody, which was ruled a suicide.
Ahead of the vote, more than two dozen women who say they were abused by Epstein gathered outside the Capitol alongside a bipartisan group of lawmakers to urge passage of the resolution. Holding photographs of themselves as teenagers, they later watched from the House gallery and applauded as the bill passed, with several visibly emotional.
Despite endorsing the measure, Trump has expressed anger at renewed attention to the case. When questioned about the vote during an Oval Office appearance with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump lashed out at a reporter, calling the question inappropriate and insisting he had “nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” noting that he removed him from his private club years earlier.
The White House was reportedly surprised by how quickly the measure advanced through Congress, according to people familiar with the matter. The dispute has weighed on Trump politically: a Reuters/Ipsos poll released Monday found overall support for his handling of the issue at its lowest point this year, including only 44 percent approval among Republicans.
Epstein, who had socialized with Trump and other influential figures in the 1990s and early 2000s, pleaded guilty in 2008 to a felony prostitution charge in Florida, serving 13 months in jail. Federal prosecutors charged him with sex trafficking of minors in 2019. He died before trial.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who led the push to force the vote, accused the Justice Department of shielding powerful individuals connected to Epstein and said Congress would judge the bill’s success only when “rich men” were held accountable. The effort also exposed internal Republican divisions.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Trump pressured her to withdraw support for the measure and called her a traitor when she refused. She ultimately voted in favor, appearing with Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna before the vote.
Epstein’s accusers welcomed the congressional action, saying the release of the documents represents an important step toward transparency and accountability long delayed.
