Donald Trump backs Epstein files release as House prepares vote amid GOP fractures and survivor pressure

President Donald Trump said Monday he would sign a measure that would require the Justice Department to release information about its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as support builds for the legislation a day before the House is scheduled to vote on it.

Mr Trump’s remarks reinforced a sharp reversal he made late Sunday night, when he called on House Republicans to support the measure after resisting such a move for weeks.

After days of scrutiny over his personal ties to Epstein, Mr Trump sought to redirect attention to the disgraced financier’s relationships with prominent Democrats.

“We’ll give them everything,” Mr Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday.

“Let the Senate look at it, let anybody look at it. But don’t talk about it too much because, honestly, I don’t want to take it away from us. It’s really a Democrat problem.”

Mr Trump has the authority to direct the Justice Department to release the documents in its possession, as he previously has with documents related to the government investigations into the assassinations of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King Jr.

Mr Trump did not explain why he has not taken that step, and the White House did not respond to questions about why the release is contingent on a vote from Congress.

The measure, which would compel officials at the Justice Department to release all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials relating to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein in its possession, could face hurdles in the Senate. It is not clear whether Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) would bring the measure up for a vote, and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) was noncommittal in an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

In a response late Sunday to Mr Trump’s new stance, Senate Minority Leader Charles E Schumer (D-New York) said in a post on X: “The vote is to compel YOU to release them. Let’s make this easier. Just release the files now.”

Before Mr Trump’s post on Sunday, Rep Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), who introduced the legislation with Rep Ro Khanna (D-California), suggested that “100 or more” House Republicans could vote in favour of releasing the Epstein files this week despite opposition from Mr Trump.

Early resistance from Republican leaders led the two to press for a discharge petition to compel a vote on the matter.

“We could have a deluge of Republicans,” Mr Massie said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.” “I’m hoping to get a veto-proof majority on this legislation when it comes up for a vote.”

Several Epstein survivors have been increasing the pressure campaign on lawmakers. A group released a video Sunday night through the organisation World Without Exploitation to urge people to call their lawmakers to back the vote to release more files.

Mr Khanna said House members who have been backing the release of more documents are planning to hold a news conference on Tuesday at the Capitol with survivors. The lawmakers are also asking Mr Trump to meet with the women.

Until Sunday, the president had been ramping up pressure against the measure, even urging the four Republicans who had signed the discharge petition to remove their names.

Mr Trump still insisted that the focus on the Epstein files was a “hoax” promoted by Democrats, but he said Sunday night that the push to release more documents was distracting the party.

“All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT,” he wrote on Truth Social on Sunday night.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who controls which bills are brought to the floor, had resisted bringing the measure to a vote after it was introduced in July. But after the discharge petition obtained enough signatures last week to compel a vote, he said he is ready to put it before House lawmakers.

Still, Mr Johnson tried to downplay the significance of the legislation, saying the Republican-led House Oversight Committee has been releasing more documents than the discharge petition asks for.

Last week, the committee made public more than 20,000 pages from the Epstein estate, including several that mention Mr Trump.

“So the discharge is totally moot. It is a political exercise, and we’re going to dispense with that this week,” Johnson said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Tensions between Mr Trump and Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), one of the four Republicans who backed the discharge petition, have been growing for weeks on issues such as foreign policy and health care subsidies.

But on Friday, Mr Trump broke off his support for Ms Greene, saying he would endorse a primary challenger in 2026.

The congresswoman said online that she saw his attacks as a form of backlash over her support of the release of the Epstein files, and the two engaged in several volleys of insults and allegations.

On Sunday, Ms Greene told CNN’s “State of the Union” that she didn’t understand why Mr Trump was pushing so strongly against the release of more documents, arguing that survivors of Epstein’s trafficking have told her that the president did nothing wrong.

Mr Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing or taking part in Epstein’s sex trafficking operations, and he has denied knowing about the solicitation of underage prostitution before Epstein’s 2008 plea.

“I’m listening to the women. Those are the ones that are saying that Mr Trump did nothing wrong,” Ms Greene said. On Sunday, she also posted on X a letter of support she said she received from 27 Epstein survivors.

“We will defend you with everything we have,” the women wrote. The lawmaker from Georgia has also received the backing of the GOP chair in her home district for reelection in 2026 after Mr Trump called Friday for a primary challenger against her.

Mr Trump has also said that Epstein’s connections with other people and institutions deserve more scrutiny than his relationship with the deceased financier.

On Friday, at Mr Trump’s request, the Justice Department launched an investigation to examine the relationships between Epstein and several prominent Democrats and donors. Attorney General Pam Bondi quickly tapped federal prosecutors in Manhattan to take on the job.

Legal experts raised concerns over the weekend that Mr Trump’s demand for a new investigation could give Justice Department officials an excuse not to release all the documents.

Ms Greene told CNN that even though Mr Trump is attacking her, she wants him “to be successful for the American people.” Ms Greene also said she hopes that she and the president can resolve their falling out.

“I do support him and his administration, and I support them in delivering the campaign promises we made to the American people,” she said.

Those promises, she said, include the release of the Epstein files.

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