Congress pushes vote to release Epstein files, defying Trump

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
Today 08:31

Trump faces a looming congressional vote on releasing the Epstein files after White House pressure on Republican lawmakers failed.

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Commuters walk past a bus stop near Nine Elms Station as activists put up a poster showing United States President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein near the US Embassy in London, the United Kingdom, on July 17, 2025 (AP)

US President Donald Trump is facing the prospect of a politically damaging congressional vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, after attempts by the White House to pressure two Republican congresswomen into withdrawing their support for the measure appeared to have failed.

The stalled effort leaves the American president increasingly exposed as both parties move closer to forcing disclosure of thousands of pages connected to the disgraced financier’s child sex-trafficking network.

The tipping point came this week after Representative Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona, was finally sworn in more than two months after winning a special election, a delay Democrats say was orchestrated by House Speaker Mike Johnson to deny the petition a majority.

Her arrival gave supporters the necessary 218 signatures to compel a vote on releasing the files.

White House pressure campaign backfires

According to The New York Times, the White House sought to convince two Republicans, Colorado’s Lauren Boebert and South Carolina’s Nancy Mace, to withdraw their signatures from the discharge petition. Trump personally invited Boebert to the White House, reportedly deploying Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to press her before issuing what the paper described as “vague threats.”

The approach backfired. Boebert, sources told the newspaper, interpreted the pressure campaign as evidence of a possible effort to conceal the contents of the files and refused to change course.

Trump also attempted to reach Mace by phone. She later responded with a letter explaining her personal history of sexual abuse, writing that she could not, in good conscience, retract her support. She later stated publicly that “the Epstein petition is deeply personal.”

Their refusal, joined by Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie, has intensified pressure on Trump from within his own political base, many of whom have long demanded full transparency over the case.

Newly released emails deepen scrutiny

The failed lobbying effort coincided with the release of a new batch of Epstein emails by House Democrats, including messages suggesting Trump was aware of Epstein’s abuse of underage girls.

In a February 1, 2019, email addressed to himself, Epstein wrote, “Trump knew of it. and came to my house many times during that period. He never got a massage.”

In an April 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein referred to Trump as “that dog that hasn’t barked,” adding, “[Victim] spent hours at my house with him,” saying “he has never once been mentioned.”

A separate 2019 email to journalist Michael Wolff reads, “of course [Trump] knew about the girls as he asked Ghislaine to stop.”

The documents, part of more than 23,000 pages now in congressional possession, do not allege direct participation by Trump but contradict his long-standing claims of having no knowledge of Epstein’s operations.

White House cries 'distraction'

The administration dismissed the release as a politically motivated attempt to damage the American president.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called it “a distraction campaign by the Democrats and the liberal media,” adding, “It’s why I’m being asked questions about Epstein instead of the government reopening because of Republicans and President Trump.”

Trump echoed that line on Truth Social, calling the disclosures a “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” and accusing Democrats of attempting to deflect from their own political failures.

What remains uncertain

While the emails underscore what Epstein believed Trump knew, they remain ambiguous in key areas. The documents do not specify the extent of Trump’s awareness, nor do they establish misconduct on his part. Virginia Giuffre, widely considered the unnamed victim mentioned in Epstein’s emails, has previously said she did not believe Trump participated in or knew about the abuse.

Representative Ro Khanna said he expects 40 to 50 Republicans to join Democrats in voting to release the files once the measure reaches the House floor. Even if passed, the legislation would still face resistance in the Senate, and Trump could veto it.

Yet analysts warn that the vote itself could carry significant political consequences. A Republican-controlled House backing the release could fuel demands within Trump’s base, many of whom already distrust government secrecy, to unseal the remaining Epstein documents in full.

A Trump ally told Politico the newly released emails have compounded a pre-existing vulnerability, “It’s like adding salt to a dish – the flavors are already there, it just accentuates all of them.”