Trump Shifts Stance on Epstein Files Vote, Calls for Transparency

President Donald Trump unexpectedly endorsed the House of Representatives’ decision to release the Epstein files, a move that surprised many observers. This development unfolded over the weekend, as four Republican representatives—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, and Nancy Mace of South Carolina—signed a discharge petition. Their support allowed the Epstein Files Transparency Act to reach the House floor, despite initial opposition from Trump.

In a post on TruthSocial that night, Trump urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing the Epstein files. This shift in his position raised questions about what influenced his decision. According to two White House officials, Trump’s initial resistance was not about transparency regarding the files but rather a concern that Democrats, including Representative Ro Khanna, could exploit the issue politically against him, particularly with Massie’s involvement.

One official stated that Trump ultimately chose to advocate for the bill to demonstrate that he has “nothing to hide.” This sentiment aligns with his previous assertions that his administration has prioritized transparency. The official noted, “His opposition had nothing to do with transparency. He believed the Democrats were using the House vote as a weapon against him to distract from the many wins the Administration has had.”

The House approved the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Tuesday, and the legislation will now advance to the Senate. Trump indicated that he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk. Senator John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader, confirmed that a vote on the bill could occur swiftly, likely without amendments, given the strong support for the House version. Thune remarked, “My assumption is that the president sounds like he’s prepared to sign it. So I assume it’ll move fairly quickly over here.”

White House officials emphasized their commitment to transparency, noting that the Trump administration has been cooperating with the House Oversight Committee. They cited the release of over 33,000 documents as proof of this commitment, countering any speculation that Trump’s recent post was merely a concession after the House petition gained traction.

The controversy surrounding the Epstein files began earlier this year when Axios published a memo from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The memo stated that their investigation found no evidence that the convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein maintained a “client list” or was murdered in jail. This announcement followed heightened expectations for the release of the files.

Attorney General Pam Bondi acknowledged that she was reviewing a “client list.” In a related move, a group of social media influencers received a “Phase 1” binder of Epstein files, which included many documents that offered no new revelations. Frustration within the administration grew over the handling of these files, with officials attributing some blame to the DOJ for not accurately representing the evidence surrounding Epstein’s alleged child trafficking operations.

As the debate over releasing the Epstein files continued, Trump denounced the situation as a “hoax,” asserting that Democrats were leveraging it to attack his administration’s transparency and alienate his support base. He stated, “As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party.”

With the House having passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act and Trump expressing his willingness to sign it, the forthcoming actions in the Senate will be closely watched as the administration navigates this politically charged issue.