“Republican members of the House should vote to release the Epstein files because we have nothing to hide,” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social on November 16.
Trump also accused Democratic lawmakers of pushing an “Epstein scam” after the party released a series of emails linked to the convicted sex offender, many of which mentioned him.
Critics have alleged that Trump previously tried to block the release of Epstein-related documents to conceal information about his own alleged misconduct. Trump denied these claims, adding that the Epstein files had caused some Republicans to be “taken advantage of” and that this could not continue. He appeared to be referring to GOP members who had previously supported the release, which ran counter to his stance.
Efforts to push transparency regarding the Epstein files have created divisions within the Republican Party, as Trump had initially opposed disclosure. Last week, Trump withdrew all political support for Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, once considered a close ally, after she criticized certain Republicans for delaying the public release of the Epstein documents.
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U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has also endorsed making the Epstein files public, arguing that doing so would end conspiracy theories involving Trump. The “Epstein File Transparency Act,” introduced in July by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, calls for the release of all records related to the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell investigation, including flight logs, lists of involved individuals and organizations, and any documents concerning destroyed, missing, or altered data.
Trump and Epstein were once friends but had a falling out in 2004 over a real estate deal. Epstein, born in 1953, was arrested in New York in July 2019 on charges of enticing dozens of minors, some as young as 14, to engage in sexual activity. He faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted.
Epstein denied all allegations and was held in a Manhattan jail. While awaiting trial, he was found dead by suicide in his cell in August 2019.
Trump has denied ever visiting Epstein’s Virgin Islands estate, where illegal acts occurred, and has stated that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal behavior.