Trump Urges Congress to Release Remaining Epstein Files in Sudden Reversal:

United States President Donald Trump has called on Congress to release all remaining documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a sharp reversal from his earlier resistance to making the files public. Posting late Sunday on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide. We have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the great success of the Republican Party.” His change of stance comes as bipartisan momentum grows behind a bill that would require the U.S. Justice Department to unseal all still-classified Epstein records. The legislation, called the Epstein Files Transparency Act, reached the 218 signatures needed on Wednesday to force a House floor vote. While the bill appears likely to pass the House, its path forward in the Senate remains unclear. Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a co-sponsor, told ABC News that as many as 100 House Republicans may vote in favor of full disclosure. Trump’s statement also arrives amid a rare and increasingly public clash with members of his political base, including a high-profile break with Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of his most loyal allies. Greene wrote on X that “the American people deserve full transparency into who was involved in these horrific acts.” Trump has since distanced himself from her, even suggesting he might endorse a challenger in next year’s primaries. On Friday, he escalated the feud by calling Greene a “traitor” and a “ranting lunatic.” Greene has suggested their falling out is tied to the Epstein files, though Trump has not directly made that connection. As more Republicans signed onto the disclosure bill, Trump accused some in the party of being manipulated, saying they were being “used.” According to reports, he personally contacted at least two GOP lawmakers, including Representative Lauren Boebert, who had supported the measure. The legislative push follows the release of new emails last week that renewed scrutiny of Trump’s past relationship with Epstein. One 2019 email Epstein sent to a journalist claimed Trump “knew about the girls,” while a 2011 email to Ghislaine Maxwell alleged that Trump had “spent hours” at his home with a victim of Epstein’s trafficking network. The White House has dismissed the release of these communications as selective and politically motivated, accusing Democrats of attempting to “create a fake narrative” to damage the president. Trump, who had a 15-year friendship with Epstein, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and maintains he knew nothing of Epstein’s criminal activities. His name has appeared in previously released Justice Department documents, which were made public as part of long-standing calls for transparency surrounding the case. In July, as criticism intensified within his base over the government’s handling of the Epstein investigation, Trump lashed out at supporters who questioned his stance. Calling the controversy the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax,” he claimed former allies had fallen for “bullshit” from the political left. He urged the FBI to investigate what he alleged was a conspiracy targeting him. Speaking to reporters around the same time, Trump said he did not understand the continued attention on the case, describing it as “sordid but boring.” Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Despite being a registered sex offender after his 2008 conviction, he maintained ties with numerous prominent figures in politics, business, and academia. On Friday, Trump urged Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s connections to several of his critics, including former President Bill Clinton and ex-Harvard President Larry Summers. Both men have expressed regret over associating with Epstein and deny any criminal involvement.

NEWS