U.S. House votes to release all Epstein investigation files

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted nearly unanimously to pass a bill requiring the Department of Justice to release all investigative files related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — despite earlier efforts by President Donald Trump to block the initiative.

The bill now moves to the Senate, which must approve it before it goes to the president. Once it became clear the bill would pass, Trump and Republican leadership reversed their stance within 48 hours before the vote and announced their support. The president has since said he will sign the bill once the Senate approves it.

The final vote was 427 to 1, with Republican Clay Higgins of Louisiana the only “no.”

Before the vote, Democrat Jamie Raskin urged the Senate to act swiftly and called on Trump to release the files immediately: “We want the whole truth. Mr. President, you have the power to do it today.”

Republican Jim Jordan accused Democrats of political opportunism, claiming they ignored the issue for four years under Joe Biden and revived it only to target Trump.

Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008, was arrested again in 2019 and died in jail a month later. The official ruling was suicide, though right-wing activists claim he was murdered to protect powerful associates.

The bill was championed by Republican Thomas Massie with support from Democrats and several conservatives, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. Greene said Trump’s refusal to release the files earlier “has literally torn the MAGA movement apart.”

One of Epstein’s victims, Jena-Lisa Jones, addressed the president directly: “Please stop making this political. This is not about you. Act like a leader.”