President Donald Trump has signed into law the Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release unclassified documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days.
The bill compels the DOJ to disclose materials such as flight logs, agency memos, communications, and legal documents concerning Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, while protecting sensitive information like victims’ identities and explicit content.
The legislation passed Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support, with only one dissenting vote in the House from Republican Clay Higgins of Louisiana. Trump, who had earlier resisted releasing such files and criticised media attention on Epstein as politically motivated, yielded to mounting pressure from lawmakers and the public.
Epstein and Trump had been acquaintances until the early 2000s, but their relationship ended years before Epstein’s 2019 jail suicide. When questioned on why he had not voluntarily disclosed the files, Trump responded aggressively, calling for the revocation of ABC News’s licence.
Earlier in 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi reviewed Epstein-related materials but later reported no incriminating client list existed. Previous partial releases of Epstein documents contained little new information. Concerns persist that the DOJ could heavily redact files or withhold sensitive data citing ongoing investigations.
The House’s legislative process faced delays due to government shutdowns, but the bill passed with bipartisan backing, reflecting public demand for transparency.
The House Oversight Committee has also released thousands of subpoenaed documents from Epstein’s estate, including emails that disparage Trump and allege his knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, although these have not been independently verified.
Survivors and lawmakers remain hopeful these revelations will expose the wider complicity involved in Epstein’s sex trafficking operations.