On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that he has signed legislation mandating the release of all files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The law requires the Department of Justice to provide all information from its investigation into Epstein in a “searchable and downloadable format” within 30 days.
This shift in Trump’s stance comes after he initially opposed the release. He faced significant pressure from Epstein’s victims and some Republican lawmakers. The bill passed overwhelmingly in both chambers of Congress, with the House of Representatives voting 427-1 in favor, and the Senate giving unanimous consent.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested that Democrats were using the issue to divert attention from his administration’s accomplishments. He stated, “Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed.”
Recently, around 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate were released, including communications in which Epstein referenced Trump, asserting he had the ability to compromise Trump and alluding to Trump’s wrongdoings. Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, claims their relationship deteriorated in the early 2000s, prior to Epstein’s first arrest. He has consistently denied any illegal involvement with Epstein.
In comments to reporters, Trump indicated that the issue was primarily a concern for Democrats, saying, “The Democrats were Epstein’s friends, all of them.” However, despite the signing of the bill, the complete release of Epstein’s files is not guaranteed. Portions may still be withheld if deemed necessary to protect personal privacy or related to active investigations. Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the bill’s sponsors, expressed concerns that investigations might be utilized to justify withholding certain files.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly2y40lj5go?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss