United States President Donald Trump signed a new bill that forces the government to release all the available files related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The announcement came late Wednesday (19th November), after months of public pressure on the White House to reveal the full extent of Epstein’s crimes and the powerful people he was connected to.
Trump posted the update on his platform, Truth Social, stating that the release will finally bring clarity to a case that has long been shrouded in secrecy, speculation, and political controversy.
The new legislation, called the Epstein Files Transparency Act, was passed with strong bipartisan support in the US Congress. Under the bill, the Department of Justice is required to release all unclassified documents related to Epstein within 30 days and make them available in a searchable and downloadable format.
The bill includes some safeguards. It allows officials to withhold extremely sensitive content such as child sexual exploitation material, victims’ identities, or information that could interfere with active investigations or harm national security or foreign policy. However, it clearly states that documents cannot be withheld simply because their release may cause “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity” to any public figure, whether American or foreign.
Although thousands of pages have already been released over the years, a judge recently noted that nearly 100,000 pages are still sealed and have never been made public.
Attorney General promises “Maximum Transparency”
Earlier in the day, US Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged growing public demand for answers. She said the administration would “follow the law” and ensure “maximum transparency” as required by the bill.
For years, Epstein’s enormous wealth, mysterious background, and long list of powerful friends, from politicians to billionaires to academics, have fueled conspiracy theories and public suspicion. Many believe the full truth about his activities has never been revealed.
A joint memo issued previously by Trump’s own Justice Department and the FBI stated that investigators found no evidence to prosecute Epstein’s associates. But that conclusion has not stopped questions about how much influence Epstein had and which influential people were close to him.
Trump attempts to shift focus toward democrats
In his Truth Social post, Trump framed the release of the files as a problem for Democrats rather than Republicans. He called Epstein a “lifelong Democrat” and pointed out his connections to several prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and former US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers.
Summers recently stepped aside from his teaching duties at Harvard University after emails showed friendly communication with Epstein. However, both Clinton and Summers have repeatedly said they did nothing wrong, and neither has been charged with any crime related to Epstein.
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed,” Trump wrote, celebrating his signing of the bill.
Epstein had connections in both parties
While Trump tried to emphasise Epstein’s ties to Democrats, the late financier had relationships across the political spectrum. His social circle included influential Republicans and high-profile Democrats alike.
Trump himself had known Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s, and his name appeared several times in recently released congressional emails. In a 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein even claimed that Trump had spent several hours at his home with one of the women later identified as a sex trafficking victim. Trump has strongly denied those claims and said he did not know about Epstein’s criminal activities.
Critics doubt the files will actually be released
Following Trump’s announcement, critics questioned whether the administration would truly follow through with full transparency.
California Senator Adam Schiff said he had ‘no confidence’ that the White House would release everything the law required. Speaking on MS NOW, Schiff said that based on past actions, he expected more “stonewalling” and attempts to limit what becomes public.
“I think when this chapter of history is written, it will be a test case in how not to handle a crisis,” he said, referring to how both the government and political leaders have addressed the Epstein scandal over the years.
