Trump signs law requiring DOJ to disclose Epstein documents

WASHINGTON, DC: President Trump signed the Epstein Transparency Act on Wednesday, November 19, requiring the disclosure of all files related to convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein and the federal investigation into him.

The act compels the Department of Justice to release the documents with limited redactions and bars the agency from withholding information to avoid political embarrassment or reputational harm.

Donald Trump signs Epstein Transparency Act

Under the legislation, the Justice Department must release all unclassified records relating to Epstein’s criminal activities and his death in federal custody. Redactions are permitted only to protect victims, ongoing investigations, or classified information—not to shield public figures from scrutiny.

Trump announced the signing on Truth Social, writing, “I have just signed the bill to release the Epstein files … This latest Hoax will backfire on the Democrats just as all of the rest have!” He emphasized that his administration, not the Democrats, took action against Epstein, saying, “Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged by the Trump Justice Department in 2019 (Not the Democrats!).”

He also accused the Biden administration of withholding records, stating, “The Biden Administration did not turn over a SINGLE file or page related to Democrat Epstein, nor did they ever even speak about him.”

Trump reiterated his long-standing claim that Epstein was aligned with the Democratic Party, saying the financier “was a lifelong Democrat, donated thousands of dollars to Democrat politicians, and was deeply associated with many well-known Democrat figures.” He went on to list several Democrats he said were connected to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.

The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 427–1, with only Representative Clay Higgins voting against it. The Senate approved it by unanimous consent.

Trump credited himself for securing support, saying, “As everyone knows, I asked Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to pass this Bill in the House and Senate, respectively. Because of this request, the votes were almost unanimous in favor of passage.”

Donald Trump’s clash with Democrats 

Trump continued attacking Democrats, arguing they were using the Epstein issue as a political distraction. He said, “Democrats have used the ‘Epstein’ issue, which affects them far more than the Republican Party, in order to try and distract from our AMAZING Victories.”

He framed it as part of a longstanding pattern, referencing “RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, UKRAINE, UKRAINE, UKRAINE, IMPEACHMENT HOAX 1, IMPEACHMENT HOAX 2, and many other Democrat created Witch Hunts and Scams.” According to him, these actions disrupted the country and distracted from what he described as the successes of Republicans and his administration.

Trump initially opposed the bill but reversed course once it became clear it would pass with overwhelming bipartisan support. Days before the vote, he posted, “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein Files. I DON’T CARE! All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT.”

He argued that the Epstein matter had become a political distraction and said, “All I care about is that Republicans get back on point.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi now has 30 days to release the records, with the law requiring her to make all unclassified Epstein-related documents public in a searchable, downloadable format.