Donald Trump signs law ordering release of Epstein investigation files

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed legislation directing the Justice Department to release documents from its long-running investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a major shift after months of resistance from the White House.

The material, sought by both Trump’s political opponents and sections of his own base, could shed new light on Epstein’s conduct and associations before his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. Epstein, who socialised with Trump and several other prominent public figures over the years, died in a Manhattan jail in 2019, an incident ruled a suicide, while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.

Trump had previously urged Republican lawmakers to block the measure, warning that releasing internal investigative records could set a harmful precedent for the presidency, according to congressional aides. But he reversed course this week as the bill drew strong bipartisan support and appeared certain to pass.

Celebrating the move in a social media post, Trump said the release would help uncover “the truth about certain Democrats and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein,” accusing his rivals of weaponising the scandal to undermine him and distract from Republican policy “victories”.

Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the Justice Department will release the files within 30 days, though the disclosure may not be complete. The legislation permits withholding personal details of victims and any information that could compromise ongoing investigations.

Public pressure for transparency has been intense. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 20 per cent of Americans, including 44 per cent of Republicans, approve of how Trump has handled the Epstein matter. Seventy per cent of respondents, including 60 per cent of Republicans, believe the government is withholding key information about Epstein’s associates.

Last week, Trump ordered federal investigators to scrutinise several Democratic figures who had been publicly linked to Epstein, raising concerns that some materials connected to those individuals may now be withheld. The Justice Department often cites the need to protect active investigations when denying record requests.

Courts earlier this year rejected efforts by Trump’s Justice Department to unseal grand jury transcripts from inquiries into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for assisting in the sexual abuse of underage girls.

With Agency Inputs