Despite strong bipartisan support in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate for a bill mandating the disclosure of Jeffrey Epstein files, concerns linger among some lawmakers that President Donald Trump may find ways to circumvent the bill’s purpose and evade revealing information about the deceased sex trafficker’s actions.
The worry stems from the possibility that the Department of Justice (DOJ) might not fully disclose crucial documents connected to its probes into Epstein’s exploitation of minors due to a legal loophole initiated by Trump recently. The president directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch an investigation into Epstein’s ties with three prominent Democrats: former President Bill Clinton, ex-treasury secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn’s billionaire founder, Reid Hoffman.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was approved by Congress on Tuesday, permits the DOJ to hold back or redact any records that could “jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution.”
Republican Thomas Massie, a co-sponsor of the bill in the House, expressed apprehension about Trump’s decision to initiate multiple investigations following a period of downplaying the Epstein case. Massie voiced concern that these investigations might serve as a pretext for withholding the files to shield billionaires, Trump associates, and political donors.
Upon Trump’s anticipated signing of the bill on Wednesday, the DOJ will have a 30-day deadline to disclose all unclassified materials related to its investigations into Epstein’s offenses.
The Trump administration could have independently released these materials earlier but had been resistant since July when the DOJ declared it would not release additional Epstein files and claimed to have no client list for Epstein. Trump had been urging Republicans to refrain from discussing Epstein and dismissing calls for transparency as a Democratic ploy.
Advocates pushing for disclosure view this behavior as a sign that the Trump administration may seek ways to delay the complete release of the files. Spencer Kuvin, an attorney representing some of Epstein’s victims, raised concerns about the investigations Trump ordered, suggesting a hidden agenda to prevent public access to additional materials by citing ongoing investigations.
Should the administration pursue this route, Kuvin believes survivors may resort to legal action to compel the DOJ to disclose the materials. Jena-Lisa Jones, an Epstein abuse survivor who supports Trump, urged the president to refrain from weaponizing the files against political adversaries, emphasizing that sexual abuse transcends party lines and should not be politicized.