US lawmakers brace for high-stakes vote on releasing Epstein files

• Trump reversed course as Republicans prepared to break ranks over the Epstein files.
• A bipartisan push is propelling the Epstein Files Transparency Act toward passage in the House.
• Lawmakers argue the public deserves answers in a case involving more than 1,000 alleged victims.

A weeks-long standoff in Washington over the release of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein appeared to collapse on Sunday, as President Donald Trump abandoned efforts to keep the material under wraps.

The reversal came amid mounting signs that nearly 100 House Republicans were ready to join Democrats in advancing legislation requiring the files to be made public.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act is now on track to pass the House of Representatives, compelling the disclosure of unclassified records related to Epstein’s criminal network and his 2019 death in federal custody, which officials ruled a suicide. Supporters of the bill argue that the sheer scale of the allegations, with more than 1,000 claimed victims, makes full transparency essential. Meanwhile, some pro-Trump activists have claimed the documents will expose political foes and influential figures long shielded from accountability.

Although Trump could still attempt to derail the effort in the Senate or veto the measure later, such a move would carry significant political risk. With midterm elections approaching, polls show strong public backing for making the material available.

The fight over the files has highlighted unusual fractures within the Republican ranks. Trump campaigned on releasing Epstein-related documents but reversed himself once in office, dismissing the issue as a Democrat-driven “hoax.” The shift cost him support among some loyalists, who pressed forward with a procedural motion to force a House vote.

Late Sunday, Trump publicly changed course. On social media, he urged House Republicans to support the release “because we have nothing to hide.” Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, he added, "I'm all for it," when asked whether he would sign the bill if it passes the Senate.

The push for the vote emerged after all House Democrats and four Republicans signed a rare discharge petition, effectively overruling GOP leadership’s attempts to stall the process. One of the pivotal signatures came from a newly elected Democrat whose swearing-in had been delayed for weeks, a move Speaker Mike Johnson denies was connected to the Epstein dispute.

Epstein, a wealthy financier, was awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges involving minors at the time of his death, more than a decade after a 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Trump’s attorney general and FBI director insisted last July that they had completed an "exhaustive review" of the case and found "no basis to revisit the disclosure" of Epstein materials.

Still, internal tensions escalated over the summer as Johnson sent lawmakers home early during a growing uproar about the files and kept the House out of session for nearly two months. The White House, meanwhile, made a series of last-minute appeals to two Republican supporters of the discharge petition in a bid to halt the vote.

Trump’s break with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene further exposed divisions. After he pulled his endorsement, Greene said the conflict "has all come down to the Epstein files." She added to CNN, "I have no idea what's in the files -- I can't even guess -- but that is the question everyone is asking, is why fight this so hard?"

Recent leaks , including emails in which Epstein suggested Trump “knew about the girls”, have refueled scrutiny of their past ties. Another message from Epstein to Ghislaine Maxwell read, "I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is Trump." In the same exchange, Epstein claimed an unnamed victim "spent hours at my house with him" but said Trump "has never once been mentioned."

The latest disclosures also touched other political figures, including former Treasury secretary Larry Summers, who said Monday he was “stepping back” from public engagements following reports of his messages with Epstein.

Trump has not been accused of any criminal conduct in relation to Epstein or Maxwell.

Should the bill pass the House, Democrats are expected to pressure Senate Republicans to allow a vote. Advancing the legislation in the Senate will require at least 60 votes, including support from 13 Republicans. Even then, a Trump veto would leave lawmakers needing a difficult two-thirds majority in both chambers to override it.