Epstein abuse survivor Lisa Phillips speaks during a press conference with lawmakers regarding the Epstein File Transparency Act outside the U.S. Capitol on November 18, 2025, in Washington, DC.
Heather Deal | Getty Images
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Tuesday to order the Justice Department to release its entire file on notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, two days after President Donald Trump suddenly announced his opposition to the bipartisan bill.
NBC News reports that the bill will be introduced during the first voting series of the day, which will take place around 2 p.m. ET.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota, told NBC on Monday night that “almost everyone” would vote to pass it.
It wasn’t always like that. The push to release the Epstein files faced opposition from Republican lawmakers led by President Trump, with the White House warning that supporting the effort would be considered a “hostile act.”
A dismissal petition that would have forced a vote on the bill stalled during the government shutdown, as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) kept lawmakers in session for nearly eight weeks. The extended absence delayed the swearing-in ceremony of Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona, the final signature needed for the petition to move forward.
The shutdown ended last Wednesday, when Grijalva signed a petition for dismissal after being sworn into office. But amid mounting pressure, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would bring the Epstein bill to a vote sooner than expected.
The bill from Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California is being voted on under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority to pass. If successful, it will be sent to the Senate.
Trump, a former friend of Epstein’s with whom they had a falling out several years ago, said on the campaign trail that he supported releasing the government’s investigation files into the wealthy and well-connected financier. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges.
But President Trump’s Justice Department said in a July 6 memo that it had conducted a “thorough investigation” into Epstein-related matters and “determined that further disclosure is not appropriate or warranted.”
This determination, and Trump’s repeated assertions that the focus on Epstein was a Democratic “hoax,” sparked outrage across the political spectrum, including some of Trump’s own supporters.
The House Oversight Committee last week released thousands of documents from Mr. Epstein’s estate, including emails showing Mr. Epstein discussing Mr. Trump.
President Trump abruptly reversed course Sunday night, urging House Republicans to vote in favor of the Epstein files bill.
This is developing news. Please check back for the latest information.
