Trump Signs Bill Releasing Epstein Files
DID Press: US President Donald Trump signed legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release previously non-confidential documents related to investigations into financier Jeffrey Epstein, an action that could reveal the scope of Epstein’s network of connections with influential political figures.
Trump had previously opposed the measure, calling it a political tool used by Democrats against him. In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social, he described Epstein as a “lifelong Democrat” and suggested that prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton, were closely associated with him. “The truth about these Democrats and their connections to Epstein may soon come to light because I signed the bill to release these documents,” Trump wrote.
Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier, was convicted of sex crimes in 2008 and faced new charges of sex trafficking of minors in 2019. He died shortly afterward in a Manhattan jail cell, in a death officially ruled a suicide, though questions and conspiracy theories persist regarding efforts to conceal his connections with powerful individuals.
The White House confirmed that the legislation requires the attorney general to release all searchable and downloadable documents, reports, flight logs, emails, and internal communications related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Documents revealing the identities of victims or compromising ongoing investigations may be redacted. The law mandates that these materials be released within 30 days.
Some of the emails include correspondence between Epstein and Michael Wolff, Trump’s biographer, as well as Thomas Barrack, a Trump associate and controversial figure in U.S. foreign policy. Certain documents reportedly contain requests from Epstein for photos of victims and critical commentary about Trump.
Separately, an American media activist has claimed that the FBI attempted to remove Trump’s name from the Epstein files, sparking widespread reactions. Trump has acknowledged attending some social gatherings with Epstein in the past but insists he cut ties with him years before Epstein’s death.
A recent Morning Consult poll indicates that a majority of Americans remain skeptical of Trump’s role in the case: 60% believe he was aware of Epstein’s sexual misconduct, 38% think he was complicit, and only 15% believe he was completely unaware. Even among Republicans, Trump’s potential knowledge of Epstein’s behavior is rated higher than his supposed ignorance.
While the release of these documents is presented as an effort toward transparency, it is likely to reopen political debates surrounding one of the most controversial U.S. cases of the past two decades.