A new political storm erupted in Washington on Sunday as President Donald Trump urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing long-protected files tied to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The call marks a major shift from Trump’s earlier reluctance and has intensified pressure within the GOP over how much transparency the public should receive.
The president’s message, shared on his Truth Social account, followed comments from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who argued that making the files public could help end lingering allegations suggesting Trump had knowledge of Epstein’s underage trafficking operations. Johnson insisted that disclosure would “clear the air” and shut down accusations that have resurfaced repeatedly over the past week.
Trump wrote, “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide… It’s time to move on from this Democrat hoax.” His remarks come as scrutiny continues to deepen after newly released congressional emails revealed Epstein believed Trump “knew about the girls” — though the context and meaning of the phrase remain unclear.
For years, Trump has maintained that any relationship he had with Epstein deteriorated long before Epstein’s legal troubles. Still, the controversy resurfaced after the House Judiciary Committee made public a collection of emails shedding new light on Epstein’s connections across political parties. Trump has since directed the Department of Justice to examine alleged links between Epstein and several high-profile Democrats, signaling a broader political clash ahead.
The internal Republican divide widened further when Trump withdrew his long-standing support for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she criticized the handling of the Epstein documents. The move surprised many within the party, as Greene has historically been among Trump’s most vocal allies.
Meanwhile, Rep. Ro Khanna — a California Democrat and an original sponsor of the bipartisan petition to force a vote — said he expects more than 40 Republicans to support releasing the files. With Republicans holding a narrow 219–214 majority in the House, the vote is expected to be tight but potentially decisive.
Public demand for transparency remains high, driven by widespread belief that federal agencies may still be concealing sensitive records tied to Epstein’s influential network. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in federal custody — a case that continues to raise questions about who may have benefited from the secrecy surrounding his operations.
As the political pressure mounts, the final House vote could become one of the most closely watched moments of the year. A decision to unseal the files would mark a significant step toward uncovering answers many Americans have been demanding for years.
