United States President Donald Trump has called on Republican lawmakers to vote in favour of releasing government held files on the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump posted on Sunday night that Republicans in the House of Representatives should back the move because the party has nothing to hide.
His latest position marks a shift from his earlier stance and follows the gradual release of documents by House Democrats. Some of these documents reference Trump, who has repeatedly denied having any connection to Epstein’s crimes. The renewed attention on their past association has intensified public speculation and triggered a dispute between Trump and one of his key supporters.
A growing number of Republican lawmakers are now prepared to break ranks and support a bill that would force the federal government to make public all Epstein related records and details of the criminal investigations into him. Supporters of the bill believe they have the numbers to pass it in the House this week, although its chances in the Senate remain unclear.
Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell in 2019. A coroner ruled his death a suicide. At the time, he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges after previously being convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Trump has dismissed the latest focus on the files as a political tactic led by Democrats to deflect from Republican priorities. Writing on Truth Social, he said the Department of Justice had already released tens of thousands of pages to the public and that investigators were examining the involvement of various Democrat linked individuals. He added that Republicans should shift their attention back to core issues.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed Trump’s sentiments during an interview on Fox News. He said Democrats were using the calls to release the files as part of a wider political strategy. Johnson insisted that Trump was not concerned, adding that the former president had clean hands and no involvement in the case.
