Congress passes bill
Epstein files: Suddenly everything happened very quickly
Updated 11/19/2025 – 6:45 a.mReading time: 3 minutes
After passing the US House of Representatives, the law to release the Epstein files now also passed the US Senate. Now it is US President Donald Trump’s turn.
The publication of the investigation files into the scandal surrounding the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is becoming more likely. First, the House of Representatives approved the necessary bill on Tuesday (local time) with only one dissenting vote. The Senate then initiated an expedited procedure that would send the bill directly to President Donald Trump and forgo a final vote in the second chamber of parliament. If that actually happens, Trump would just have to sign it. However, it is unclear whether and when this will happen.
If Trump signs the decree, the US justice documents can be made public. However, the Ministry of Justice is permitted to withhold documents that could jeopardize an ongoing investigation. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that there were more important things than the Epstein debate. “I don’t care when the Senate passes the House bill, whether it’s tonight or some other time in the near future. I just don’t want Republicans to take their eyes off all the successes we’ve achieved.”
Before his election victory in November 2024, Trump promised to fully disclose the Epstein files. However, since this promise has not been kept since he took office in January, the Republican is under increasing pressure, including within his own party. In addition to many Democrats and Epstein’s victims, some Republicans have also recently called for the release of all files and full transparency. If they had continued to block themselves, they might have been punished by their electorate in the 2026 congressional elections.
Because of Epstein’s broad contacts in American high society, there is much speculation about the possible involvement of influential circles in the abuse scandal. Most recently, Democrats published email excerpts from Epstein’s estate in which Trump’s name appears. These sparked new speculation about whether and how much the Republican knew about Epstein’s crimes.
According to the Epstein Records Transparency Act (EFTA), Attorney General Pam Bondi should release “all non-classified records, documents, communications and investigative materials” in the Epstein case no later than 30 days after its passage.
However, there are exceptions – for example for material that “would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution.” According to the text of the law, the US government does not have to publish information that restricts the privacy of abuse victims or images and videos of abuse.
According to the US justice system, Epstein abused girls and young women for years and referred them to celebrities. He was closely connected in New York society and also met Donald Trump regularly. During his second term as US President, he resisted publishing the files for a long time, but changed course at the weekend and made hints about former US President Bill Clinton.
Trump has denied all allegations related to the affair and described the debate as a smear campaign by Democrats. He recently declared that their “radical left-wing lunatics” had staged a hoax that should now be left behind.
