Oval Office Reversal on File Vote Draws Bipartisan Scrutiny as House Prepares to Act on Transparency Bill
WASHINGTON – November 18, 2025 – President Donald Trump stunned reporters in the Oval Office on Monday by insisting he had “nothing to do with” Jeffrey Epstein and wasn’t “around him at all,” despite a trove of photographs and documents showing their social ties spanning nearly two decades. The comments, delivered alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, came as Trump reversed course on a bipartisan congressional push to unseal Epstein’s full files, urging House Republicans to vote for release while pivoting blame to Democrats. “We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do,” Trump said, naming Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman, and Larry Summers as frequent Epstein associates. “All of his friends were Democrats. They went to his island all the time—and many others.” The remarks, laced with economic boasts about “pricing and affordability,” have fueled accusations of deflection amid mounting pressure for transparency on the late sex offender’s network.
Trump’s denial contrasts sharply with historical records. Epstein, the financier convicted in 2008 for procuring underage girls and who died by suicide in 2019 awaiting trial, was a fixture at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in the 1990s and 2000s. Photos capture them at parties, and Trump praised Epstein in a 2002 New York Magazine interview as a “terrific guy” who liked “younger” women. Epstein’s brother Mark testified in 2019 that Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least once, and unsealed 2024 files mention Trump over 100 times, including Epstein’s email noting Trump as “that dog that hasn’t barked” and claiming he “knew about the girls.” Trump banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago around 2007 after an alleged incident involving an underage girl and cooperated with a 2009 Florida probe, but critics say the ties run deep.
The Oval Office exchange followed Trump’s Sunday Truth Social post endorsing the House bill: “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide.” This marks a dramatic U-turn from his earlier resistance, where he called the effort a “Democrat hoax” and withdrew support for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) after her backing. The bipartisan measure, led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), would compel the DOJ to declassify unredacted files, including flight logs and victim statements. A discharge petition with 218 signatures forces a Tuesday House vote, with passage likely as 100+ Republicans join Democrats.
Trump likened it to JFK and MLK file releases: “We’ve already given 50,000 pages… it’s never enough.” He directed the DOJ to probe Democrats’ Epstein links, releasing 20,000 emails last week that mentioned Trump but yielded no new allegations. “It’s a Russia hoax for Republicans,” he claimed, insisting scrutiny falls on Democrats like Clinton (26 flights documented).
Democrats pounced. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) called it “deflection,” noting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago socializing. Khanna predicted “40+ Republicans” will vote yes, framing it as transparency over politics. Greene, facing threats after Trump’s “traitor” label, stood firm: “I’m with the victims.” Senate passage remains uncertain due to filibuster risks, and Trump could veto unless overridden.
The saga revives Epstein’s shadow: his 2008 deal shielded accomplices, and survivors like Virginia Giuffre (who died by suicide in April 2025) demanded full disclosure. Recent emails show Epstein speculating on Trump’s “dangerous power” and hoping for indictments near him. Trump insists: “I wasn’t at all.”
As midterms loom, the vote risks partisan fallout. Trump’s reversal may unify Republicans short-term, but full release could expose more on both sides. For now, the president’s words have one effect: the Epstein files are no longer buried—they’re breaking free.
