Trump Addresses Potential Signing of Epstein Files Legislation

President Trump Endorses Jeffrey Epstein Files Release Bill Ahead of House Vote

President Donald Trump expressed support for legislation that would compel the Justice Department to release all files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, telling reporters at the White House, “I’m all for it,” when asked if he would sign such a bill.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the controversial measure Tuesday afternoon, following months of political wrangling over the implications of releasing potentially sensitive information related to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

“We have nothing to do with Epstein. The Democrats do. All of his friends were Democrats,” Trump stated during Monday’s White House press briefing. When pressed specifically about whether he would sign the legislation if it reaches his desk, Trump affirmed, “Sure I would.”

The bill comes to the House floor through a discharge petition mechanism led by an unusual bipartisan pairing—Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California and Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky. The procedural move effectively bypasses regular committee channels to force a floor vote.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who initially opposed the legislation, has recently shifted toward supporting transparency efforts regarding Epstein’s case, though he continues to express reservations about the bill’s current form. Johnson indicated he hopes the Senate will make substantive modifications to provide greater protections for innocent individuals whose names might appear in the files.

“Let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it,” Trump said, before quickly pivoting to frame the issue as primarily concerning Democrats. “But don’t talk about it too much, because honestly… it’s really a Democrat problem. The Democrats were Epstein’s friends, all of them.”

Trump also characterized concerns about the files as a distraction from his administration’s accomplishments. “I hate to see that deflect from the great job we’ve done,” he said, citing achievements in pricing, energy policy, and ending international conflicts.

Republican lawmakers who spoke anonymously to reporters indicated they planned to vote for the bill despite lingering concerns about its specific provisions. Many expressed optimism that their colleagues would follow suit, particularly after Trump’s Sunday social media post urging House Republicans to support the legislation.

“Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He warned that Republicans were being “used” and should avoid falling into what he called the Epstein “TRAP.”

The legislation has generated significant attention given Epstein’s connections to numerous high-profile figures across political, business, and entertainment spheres. While Epstein’s associations spanned partisan divides, Trump has consistently sought to characterize Epstein’s relationships as primarily involving Democrats.

Political analysts suggest the timing of this legislation, coming shortly after the presidential election, reflects the politically sensitive nature of anything connected to Epstein. The financier’s 2019 death in federal custody was ruled a suicide, but has remained the subject of persistent speculation and conspiracy theories.

If passed by the House, the bill would still need Senate approval and the president’s signature to become law. Speaker Johnson has indicated he expects significant amendments in the Senate process that would address privacy concerns for those who may be named in documents despite having no connection to criminal activity.

The vote represents a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation in an otherwise deeply divided Congress, though the motivations on each side appear to differ substantially.