US President Donald Trump has dramatically urged Republicans in the House of Representatives to vote in favour of releasing the full cache of government-held documents relating to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a sharp reversal from his recent stance.
The president posted the appeal on Sunday night, telling his party that they should back transparency “because we have nothing to hide.”
His statement comes as Democrats on the House Oversight Committee continue to publish selected documents referencing prominent public figures, including Trump himself, references he has consistently said are being used to fuel baseless speculation. Trump has always denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes.
The shift follows growing pressure inside Congress, where potentially dozens of Republicans are now signalling they are willing to vote for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bill that would compel the US government to release all non-classified records relating to the two major criminal investigations into Epstein. Supporters believe they now have the numbers to pass the legislation in the House this week, though its future in the Senate remains uncertain.
Epstein died in 2019 in a New York jail cell while awaiting trial for sex-trafficking charges. The investigations into him produced an enormous archive of evidence, including interviews with victims and witnesses, personal correspondence, and items seized from his properties — much of which has never been released publicly.
Trump Calls Democrat Claims a “Hoax”
In his Sunday night post on Truth Social, Trump repeated his view that attention on the documents is a politically motivated distraction:
“The Department of Justice has already turned over tens of thousands of pages to the Public on ‘Epstein,’ are looking at various Democrat operatives (Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman, Larry Summers, etc.) and their relationship to Epstein, and the House Oversight Committee can have whatever they are legally entitled to, I DON’T CARE!”
He added that Republicans needed to “get BACK ON POINT.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the president on Fox News, saying the focus on Trump was part of “the entire game plan” of Democrats.
“Trump has clean hands,” Johnson said. “He’s not worried about it… He has nothing to do with this.”
New Emails Reference Trump — But Contain No Allegations of Wrongdoing
According to reporting by The BBC, Democrats last week released three email exchanges between Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. In one 2011 email, Epstein told Maxwell:
“I want you to realize that that dog that hasn’t barked is Trump.. [VICTIM] spent hours at my house with him.”
The White House said the victim mentioned was Virginia Giuffre. Officials emphasised there is no implication of wrongdoing by Trump in the documents.
In response, House Republicans released a far larger tranche — around 20,000 documents — accusing Democrats of attempting to “cherry-pick” information to “create a fake narrative to slander” the president.
Republican Congressman Glenn Grothman told the BBC that Trump’s change of position stemmed from his desire to avoid prolonged media speculation generated by slow, piecemeal releases. Allowing everything to be published at once, he suggested, would let the press “go nuts for a couple of days” before moving on.
Growing Bipartisan Support for Full Disclosure
The Epstein Files Transparency Act has attracted support from both parties, with Republican Representative Thomas Massie saying as many as 100 Republicans may vote in favour.
If passed by both chambers, Trump would ultimately need to sign the bill into law — something his new position appears to make more likely.
Epstein survivors and the family of Virginia Giuffre have urged Congress to vote for full transparency, writing:
“Remember that your primary duty is to your constituents… When you vote, we will remember your decision at the ballot box.”
Feud With Marjorie Taylor Greene
The issue has also triggered an unexpected rift between Trump and one of his most loyal allies, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Trump publicly criticised her last week, calling her “wacky” and a “traitor,” and even suggesting she should be unseated next year. Greene accused the president of abandoning the “America First” agenda and claimed he was using her as an example to deter other Republicans from voting for the bill.
Justice Department Eyes High-Profile Democrats
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has confirmed it will examine Epstein’s links to major banks and several senior Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton. Clinton has always strongly denied involvement in Epstein’s crimes. Other Democratic figures named in newly released documents include LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. Summers has previously expressed regret for maintaining contact with Epstein after his 2008 conviction, while Hoffman says his only involvement was fundraising for MIT.
As the House prepares to vote, the political and legal stakes surrounding the Epstein files have intensified, but with the president now openly backing full disclosure, a comprehensive release appears closer than ever.
Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead.
Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss backs Trump over BBC video scandal – New York Times article
On the 15th July 2019 Parliament debated a petition for a Public Enquiry into bias at the BBC. The petition was signed by 105,421. Pity nothing was done about the problem of bias at the Brexit Bashing or Biased Broadcasting Corporation back then.