After the House of Representatives, the US Senate also quickly passed a bill to release the Epstein files. Now all that is missing is the president’s signature. But can this answer all the open questions?
Who benefited from Jeffrey Epstein’s system of human trafficking and abuse in the early 2000s? Who took part, who dissented, and how independent was the investigation? To answer these questions, the Federal Attorney General must make public all files from the attorney general’s office, the FBI and the courts – within 30 days of the law taking effect. Representatives and senators from the two chambers of the US Congress will decide on this later Tuesday.
There was only one dissenting voice in the DPR. A special procedure is used in the Senate to convey legislation to the President for signature as quickly as possible: The legislation is considered adopted without a formal vote because no objections were raised.
Republicans are feeling the pressure
Republican lawmakers also voted for the law along with the opposition – because there was huge pressure from the public and they wanted to be re-elected in the next parliamentary elections. Former Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene, for example, recently accused the US president of her own party of breaking his promise of transparency regarding Epstein. Trump then publicly withdrew his support.
On Tuesday, Greene predicted to reporters on the steps of the Capitol that there will be an ongoing test: Will the Justice Department actually release all the files or will they withhold important information because of the ongoing investigation?
Years of tug-of-war over the release of the files
During the election campaign, Trump himself spread baseless claims that the US government had covered up the results of the investigation into Epstein’s criminal case in order to protect influential perpetrators. In fact, both Joe Biden and Trump himself refused to turn over the Epstein dossier during his first term as president – despite citing the protection of informants and perhaps more than 100 victims who have yet to come forward. Additionally, further investigation should not be compromised.
With the recent change of power in the White House, the situation has changed again: Democrats are demanding disclosure of the documents, while President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson are blocking the bill.
Finally, this week, first Trump and then Johnson caved to pressure from both sides. At the same time, the FBI warned of the results in a press conference: The ministry is now also required to publish statements and accusations that the FBI has classified as unreliable. This misinformation, Johnson said, can destroy the reputations of innocent people. The names Epstein used to lure his victims could also appear in the files. Or people who knew Epstein but didn’t know about his crimes.
There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by Trump
Trump also knew Jeffrey Epstein. However: In 20 years of investigative work under four presidencies, there has been no published indication that Trump may have committed criminal acts in connection with the Epstein case. There are no victims to accuse him, no witnesses against him – while the statements and innuendos from Epstein himself since becoming a defendant in the criminal case are beyond credible.
The Epstein myth thrives on the belief in a conspiracy, supported by both Republicans and Democrats in the US. Therefore, it seems impossible to completely resolve all open questions. Even if Donald Trump really wants it.
