Donald Trump urges Republicans to vote for release of Epstein files

Donald Trump has urged his fellow Republicans in Congress to vote for the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

It is a reversal of the US president's previous opposition to the move.

Mr Trump said on Truth Social that politicians from his own party should back releasing the Justice Department documents.

"House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide.

"And it's time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party..." Mr Trump wrote on Sunday.

Thousands of Epstein's documents were released by a committee last week - and a few mentioned Mr Trump.

A 2011 email from Epstein to his sex trafficking co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell described Mr Trump as "that dog that hasn't barked" and that "Virginia spent hours at my house with him".

The name Virginia had been redacted. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Democrats redacted it because the victim was Virginia Giuffre.

The prominent Epstein survivor, who took her own life in April aged 41, had called Mr Trump friendly and did not accuse him of any wrongdoing.

The White House said the emails were selectively leaked to "create a fake narrative to smear President Trump".

The president has always denied any wrongdoing and said he fell out with the disgraced financier way before his crimes against underage girls came to light.

However, pressure to release all government documents about Epstein - who killed himself in 2019 - has increased amid persistent rumours of a cover-up.

A growing number of Republican lawmakers and loyal Trump supporters also want the documents made public.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, a staunch MAGA loyalist, backed the petition that proposed holding the vote and provoked a vicious backlash from the president - who labelled her a "traitor" and a "ranting lunatic".

Speaking on Mornings with Ridge and Frost, the former US vice president Mike Pence said: "There's no antiseptic like daylight. And I think now for years, not only victims that we've seen compellingly on the screen this morning, but also, a chorus of leaders around the country have simply called for full transparency on these files."

He went on to say: "I know of no reason why all the Epstein files should not be released to the public. Let justice be served."

The bill would force the Justice Department to release all files and communications on Epstein, as well as any information about his death in prison - another persistent topic among conspiracy theorists.

Information about victims or ongoing federal investigations would be redacted.

Read more:
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Who is MAGA ally Marjorie Taylor Greene?

Democratic representative Ro Khanna - an original sponsor of the petition - said on Sunday he expected 40 Republicans to support the move.

However, Republican Thomas Massie told US media that "100 or more" of his colleagues could vote for the bill.

The Republicans currently have 219 seats in the House of Representatives against 214 for the Democrats, suggesting it will pass. However, its fate in the Senate is unclear.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, struck a similar tone to the president as he sought to play down the vote.

He told Fox News on Sunday: "We'll just get this done and move it on. There's nothing to hide."

(c) Sky News 2025: Donald Trump urges Republicans to vote for release of Epstein files