The US Congress will hold a crucial vote today on whether to force the publication of all Jeffrey Epstein-related documents, following a dramatic reversal from former President Donald Trump who now urges Republicans to support the measure.
Trump's Surprising Change of Heart
In a stunning political U-turn, Donald Trump has shifted from weeks of attempting to block the release of Epstein files to now encouraging Republican lawmakers to back the transparency measure. This reversal comes as internal pressure within his party reaches boiling point, with several high-profile Republicans breaking ranks to support publication.
The vote is scheduled for today, with proceedings beginning at 3pm UK time and expected to continue for several hours. Survivors of Epstein's abuse will be present on Capitol Hill, actively lobbying representatives to end years of secrecy surrounding the financier's powerful network.
Obstruction Loophole Concerns
Campaigners and political observers have raised serious concerns about a specific clause in the proposed bill that could allow an "investigation for obstruction" to delay or prevent the documents from ever reaching public view. Critics allege Trump is already attempting to exploit this mechanism.
A Capitol Hill source revealed: "The president has already called on the Department of Justice to investigate Bill Clinton and Larry Summers' past connections to Epstein. This appears to be a direct attempt to trigger the loophole."
If successful, this strategy could enable Trump to use ongoing investigations as justification for keeping the sensitive documents concealed from public scrutiny.
Internal Republican Division
The controversy has ignited one of the most significant internal conflicts within the MAGA movement since Trump took office. The release of a searchable database containing 23,000 documents by the House Oversight Committee has intensified pressure, revealing that Trump is the most frequently mentioned individual in the files - appearing more often than Epstein himself.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, previously one of Trump's most loyal supporters, publicly accused him of attempting to prevent Republicans from backing the vote. She stated he had "fought harder to block the Epstein files than anyone expected," emphasising that the nation's right to transparency "is bigger than Trump."
The political feud escalated when Trump labelled Greene a "traitor," exposing deep fractures within the movement that a senior Republican aide compared to "the biggest internal meltdown since the fallout from January 6."
Other prominent Republicans including Colorado's Lauren Boebert and South Carolina's Nancy Mace have also broken with Trump to support the bill's passage.
Historical Context and Promises
The documents under consideration could include material relating to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Ghislaine Maxwell - currently serving a 20-year sentence - government officials named in the case, and internal Justice Department communications spanning decades.
Trump's relationship with Epstein dates back to their Palm Beach social years during the early 1990s and 2000s, when they attended the same parties and moved within identical elite circles. Trump previously described Epstein as a "terrific guy" who "likes beautiful women as much as I do, many of them on the younger side."
Despite promising during his 2020 campaign to release all Epstein documents if elected, Trump subsequently labelled them a "hoax" and resisted publication until his recent reversal.
The bill would mandate the Justice Department to publish all Epstein-related files within 30 days if passed. While the measure is expected to clear the House, its prospects in the Republican-controlled Senate remain uncertain, with Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso suggesting Democrats might be using the push to weaken Trump's presidency.
