On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed legislation requiring the Justice Department to release all records related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The bill mandates that the files be made available in a searchable and downloadable format within 30 days.
Trump, who had previously opposed the release, reversed his position following pressure from Epstein’s victims and members of his own party. The legislation passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming support: the House of Representatives approved it 427-1, while the Senate granted unanimous consent.
The materials to be released include investigative documents, interview transcripts with victims and witnesses, items seized during property raids, internal Justice Department communications, flight logs, and information on individuals and entities connected to Epstein. This release is separate from over 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate released by Congress last week, some of which reference Trump directly.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Democrats were using the issue to divert attention from his administration’s accomplishments, while reiterating that Republicans had “nothing to do with Epstein.” He has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, despite their past friendship. Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison cell in 2019, had previously been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
Attorney General Pam Bondi is tasked with releasing all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials related to Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. The law allows portions of the files to be withheld if their release would violate privacy, interfere with ongoing investigations, or identify victims.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the bill’s sponsors, expressed concerns that some files could still be withheld under the guise of ongoing investigations, potentially limiting full public access.
The law and its impending release come amid renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s connections to high-profile figures, including Trump, former Harvard president Larry Summers, and others in politics, media, and royalty, following revelations from emails and previously undisclosed documents.
