House Set for Pivotal Vote This Week as President Shifts Stance on Long-Controversial Documents Tied to Sex Offender’s Network
WASHINGTON – In a stunning reversal that has stunned political observers, President Donald Trump urged House Republicans on Sunday to vote for the release of long-withheld Jeffrey Epstein files, declaring, “We have nothing to hide.” The abrupt shift comes as bipartisan momentum builds for transparency on the late sex offender’s sprawling network, with a floor vote expected as early as Tuesday. Trump’s endorsement—after weeks of dismissing the push as a “Democrat hoax”—signals potential GOP fractures and could force the Justice Department to unseal thousands of documents implicating high-profile figures across the political spectrum.
Trump’s Truth Social post late Sunday night marked a 180-degree turn from his earlier resistance. “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party,” he wrote. The president, who has faced renewed scrutiny over his past ties to Epstein—socializing at Mar-a-Lago in the 1990s and 2000s—doubled down Monday, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: “Let the Senate look at it, let anybody look at it. But don’t talk about it too much because honestly I don’t want to take it away from us. It’s really a Democrat problem.” The DOJ, under Trump’s directive, has already begun probing Epstein’s links to Democrats like Bill Clinton, releasing 20,000 emails last week that mentioned Trump but contained no new allegations of wrongdoing.
The measure, spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), would compel the DOJ to declassify and publish all unredacted Epstein-related files, including flight logs, victim statements, and investigative memos from his 2008 plea deal and 2019 death. A discharge petition, forcing a vote despite Speaker Mike Johnson’s initial reluctance, has garnered 218 signatures—enough to pass in the slim GOP-majority House. Massie predicted “100 or more” Republicans will join Democrats, framing it as a choice between “political protection” and “constituent expectations.” Johnson, once calling it a “moot point” amid an ongoing Oversight Committee probe, now signals support: “We’ll just get this done and move it on.”
Trump’s flip follows internal GOP tensions. Last week, he withdrew endorsement from staunch ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she backed the release, labeling her a “traitor.” Greene, facing death threats, fired back: “I’m not afraid of the truth.” Epstein survivors, in a poignant PSA aired Sunday, implored lawmakers: “Look into the eyes of your children… Imagine if they had been preyed upon.” The files could expose more on Epstein’s elite circle, including Trump (mentioned in emails claiming he “knew about the girls,” though context is unclear) and Clinton (named in flight logs).
Democrats pounced. Khanna accused Trump of “panicking” as the vote loomed, while Rep. Jamie Raskin called it a “desperate deflection.” Even if the House passes it, the Senate—GOP-controlled but with filibuster hurdles—poses challenges, and Trump could veto unless overridden by two-thirds. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted: “These emails prove absolutely nothing… President Trump did nothing wrong.”
The saga revives Epstein’s shadow: the financier died in 2019 while awaiting sex-trafficking trial, his 2008 sweetheart deal shielding accomplices. Recent releases, including 20,000 DOJ emails, fueled demands for full disclosure, with survivors like Virginia Giuffre (who died by suicide in April 2025) advocating until the end.
Trump’s pivot, amid his lame-duck transition, underscores GOP rifts on transparency. As the vote nears, one thing’s clear: the Epstein files aren’t buried anymore. They’re breaking free—and could redefine legacies on both sides of the aisle.
