WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress is transmitting President Donald Trump A bill that would require the Department of Justice to release case files of convicted sex offenders. Jeffrey EpsteinThe case could have far-reaching implications after years of push for public justice by survivors of Epstein’s abuse.
both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the bill this week With an overwhelming lead over Trump reverse course He said he has opposed the bill for several months and intends to sign it. If the president signs the bill, it will set a 30-day countdown for the Justice Department to produce what is commonly known as the Epstein file.
“This bill commands the president to be completely transparent, to come completely clean and to be completely honest with the American people,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Wednesday.
Schumer added that Democrats are prepared to push back if they perceive the president is not adhering to “full transparency.”
A swift bipartisan effort in Congress this week, especially from President Trump and former President Bill Clinton, andrew mountbatten windsorwho has already been stripped of his royal title as Prince Andrew over this issue, and many others.
There is much anticipation from the public as to what more will be revealed from this file. But the bill is likely to trigger the revelation of a rarely seen large-scale federal investigation and also creates the potential for unintended consequences.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) leaves the U.S. Capitol after voting in favor of the Epstein File Transparency Act on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nickinson)
What does this bill do?
The bill would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to release essentially everything the Justice Department has collected through multiple federal investigations into Epstein, as well as information about Epstein’s longtime best friends and girlfriends. Ghislaine Maxwellis serving a 20-year prison sentence for seducing teenage girls for a disgraced financier. These records total approximately 100,000 pages, according to federal judge who reviewed the case.
It would also require the Justice Department to produce all internal documents related to Epstein, his associates, and the 2019 death in a Manhattan prison where he was awaiting indictment on charges of sexual abuse and human trafficking against dozens of teenage girls.
However, the law exempts some parts of the case file. The drafters of the bill made sure to include the ability for the Justice Department to withhold personally identifying information about victims, child sexual abuse materials, and information the administration deems sensitive for national defense or foreign policy purposes.
Asked about the release of the files at a press conference on Wednesday, Bondi said: “We will continue to follow the law with the utmost transparency while protecting victims.”
The bill also allows the Justice Department to withhold information that would jeopardize an active investigation or prosecution. That has raised concerns among the bill’s sponsors that the department would launch active investigations into people named in the Epstein file in order to keep it out of public view.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime Trump supporter who has been at odds with the president over the bill, said Tuesday that she believes the “real test” will be whether the administration follows through on the bill.
“Will the Justice Department release the files or will everything remain tied up in the investigation?” she asked.
In July, the FBI said: Notes on The Epstein investigation said it had found “no evidence that could form the basis for an investigation into third parties who have not been indicted.” But Bondi last week complied with President Trump’s request. ordered federal prosecutors The purpose is to investigate the relationship between Mr. Epstein and the president’s political opponents, including Mr. Clinton.
Still, Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who sponsored the bill, said it would be “impossible to do enough research to cover” all the people he believes were involved in Epstein’s abuses.
“If that’s the case, that’s good,” he added.
The bill would also require the Justice Department to produce a report within 15 days of the file’s release on what materials were withheld and what edits were made. The law states that officials cannot withhold or redact any information “based on embarrassment, reputational damage, or political considerations, including to government officials, public figures, and foreign dignitaries.”
Who can be named?
It is widely expected that many people may be named in the case file. Over 10 years of research —And there are concerns that just because someone’s name is mentioned, that person will be considered guilty or an accomplice.
Epstein was a high-profile figure who associated with heads of state, influential politicians, academics, and billionaires. His emails and messages have already been made public by a House Oversight Committee investigation last week. showed his connection Personal conversations with and about Trump and many other powerful figures.
However, federal prosecutors follow carefully constructed guidelines for what information to present publicly and in court to protect victims and maintain fairness in the legal system. House Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the bill this week for those reasons, arguing it could reveal unwanted information about victims and others who have come into contact with law enforcement.
However, Prime Minister Johnson did not actually make any changes to the bill, instead voting in favor of it on the floor of the House of Commons.
For the bill’s sponsors, public evaluation of the investigation is exactly what matters. Some survivors of Mr. Epstein and Mr. Maxwell’s trafficking are seeking ways to clear the names of those they accuse of accomplices and participants, but some fear facing lawsuits from their accusers.
Massey said he hopes the FBI will release a report from interviews with the victims.
Although such reports typically contain information that has not been vetted, Massey said he is determined to reveal the names of those accused. He and Greene offered to read the names of the defendants on the House floor to protect their speeches from legal repercussions.
“I need a name,” Massey said.
