US President Donald Trump has signed legislation to release case files surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump announced this on his Truth Social online service. The US Congress had voted a day earlier to release the Epstein files. Trump’s signature is still missing to enact the law.
Trump has tried for months to avoid a vote in Congress. It wasn’t until Sunday that he reversed course under immense pressure and recommended that Republicans approve it.
The Epstein Records Transparency Act (EFTA) requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials” in the Epstein case no later than 30 days after the release of the documents. This also applies to documents from the Federal Police (FBI) and public prosecutors.
Investigating Clinton and Summers
However, Bondi can exclude material that “would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution.” Last Friday, Trump initiated investigations into the cases of former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, the latter of whom has announced his retirement from public life. However, critics worry that the Trump administration could also hide other important documents based on the ongoing investigation.
Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in New York in 2019. According to authorities, he committed suicide. According to the investigation, Epstein had been abusing underage girls and young women for years and passing it on to celebrities.
Many US citizens and right-wing influencers suspect that the former financial investor was murdered to prevent him from reporting against a prominent accomplice. The Epstein affair is one of the few issues that has turned some of Trump’s loyal supporters against Trump.
