The US House of Representatives has voted 427-1 to force the Justice Department to release the so-called Epstein Files, with the Senate following suit unanimously. The bill now heads to President Donald Trump for signature, marking a significant step towards transparency in the case of convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The move comes after Trump made an embarrassing U-turn on the issue, having previously branded the files a 'Democrat hoax' and worked against Republican efforts to bring the vote to the House floor. Trump's approval ratings have fallen to the lowest of his term, in part over his handling of the Epstein Files.
Among the most anticipated revelations are details about Epstein's friendship with Prince Andrew. The Duke of York has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but unreleased documents could expose further details about their discussions and relationship. Files released last week already showed Epstein was advised to stay away from Andrew and Sarah Ferguson to clean up his reputation.
Questions also remain about whether Epstein acted alone. While he worked with Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for trafficking underage girls, a supposed client list or blackmail evidence has not materialised in released documents. The files may shed light on whether Epstein had information that could tarnish the reputations of his associates.
Trump's handling of the Epstein Files has drawn criticism, given his campaign promise to release them in full. His confrontational approach has led to questions about what might be in the files, as both he and now-members of his administration called for their release while on the campaign trail last year.
