President Donald Trump on Tuesday celebrated congressional passage of a bipartisan bill forcing the release of the long-sealed Jeffrey Epstein files, reaffirming he intends to sign the measure while declaring victory for what he called a “Great Big Beautiful Bill” that caps a wave of Republican wins. “I don’t care when the Senate passes the House Bill, whether tonight, or at some other time in the near future, I just don’t want Republicans to take their eyes off all of the Victories that we’ve had,” Trump said in a statement posted to Truth Social.
The president’s remarks came shortly before the Senate voted to approve the bill compelling the Justice Department to release all non-classified materials related to Epstein within 30 days, including investigative files, correspondence, and evidence logs. The measure passed the House overwhelmingly on Tuesday, following Trump’s abrupt reversal earlier this week urging Republicans to vote for it. During an Oval Office event Monday, Trump was asked directly whether he would sign the legislation. “Sure I would,” he said.
“The Democrats were Epstein’s friends — all of them. And it’s a hoax, the whole thing is a hoax. But I’ll sign it, and I think it’s going to be much worse for the Democrats than for anyone else.” Trump’s endorsement helped push the bill across the finish line after initial hesitation among GOP leadership. Speaker Mike Johnson had attempted to make last-minute changes and reportedly considered urging a veto, but several key Republicans broke ranks and joined Democrats to advance the measure.
Under the legislation, the Justice Department must disclose its Epstein-related records within 30 days of Trump’s signature, with limited redactions to protect victims’ privacy. The bipartisan effort gained momentum after House Democrats released partial communications earlier this month that referenced Trump, prompting the White House to accuse them of “selective leaks” intended to smear the president. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time that Trump “kicked Epstein out of his club decades ago for being a creep” and had “no involvement whatsoever” in Epstein’s crimes.
The Senate’s final approval also came as scrutiny grew over Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett, a former House impeachment manager, whose communications with Epstein surfaced in the newly released records. Plaskett admitted in a CNN interview Wednesday that she had exchanged messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing but insisted it was part of her effort to “get information to get at the truth.” Plaskett narrowly avoided censure in the House Tuesday night, with lawmakers voting 214-209 against removing her from the Intelligence Committee.
Once Trump signs the bill — a move expected within days — the Justice Department will be required to begin the public release process by late December. Officials said the disclosure will include portions of the bureau’s investigative files, financial records, and correspondence with Epstein’s associates, with names of victims and sensitive details redacted. The move represents one of the largest forced transparency actions in modern federal history and could shed new light on how Epstein cultivated relationships across politics, business, and entertainment before his 2019 arrest and death in federal custody.
Legal experts noted the rare bipartisan alignment around the measure, with both progressive Democrats and populist Republicans citing the need for “truth and justice” in a case that has come to symbolize elite impunity. “This bill cuts through decades of secrecy,” said one senior GOP aide. “It’s about time the American people see what really happened and who was involved.” Trump’s expected signature will trigger a countdown for the Justice Department — and could ensure that many unclassified Epstein files, long shielded from public view, finally see the light of day before year’s end.
