Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that he now supports efforts in Congress to publish additional files related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, marking a significant shift from his earlier opposition to releasing the documents tied to the convicted sex offender.
Posting on his platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, “House Republicans must vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide.” His reversal comes after the recent release of emails suggesting Epstein had implied Trump “knew about the girls,” claims the president has dismissed as a Democratic fabrication. Trump accused Democrats of inventing the “Epstein hoax” and warned that “some stupid” and “foolish” Republicans had fallen for it.
The controversy has fueled fractures within the Republican Party, where Trump typically commands strong loyalty. He was accused by some lawmakers of previously trying to obstruct a vote that would force the release of potentially sensitive documents. The matter has also driven a wedge between Trump and prominent allies in his “Make America Great Again” movement including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whose endorsement for the 2026 election he recently withdrew.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will vote this week on a measure to compel the Justice Department to release all remaining files from the Epstein investigation. Trump, in his latest statement, cautioned that “some Republicans are being taken advantage of, and we can’t allow that,” referring to GOP lawmakers who aligned with Democrats in calling for full disclosure.
The renewed push follows the publication of emails obtained from Epstein’s estate after the end of the country’s longest government shutdown last week. One of the emails claimed that Trump spent “hours” with a victim at his home; another described Trump as “dirty.” Democrats on the House Oversight Committee argued that the messages “raise serious questions about Donald Trump and his knowledge of Epstein’s horrific crimes.” None of the documents released so far contain allegations of wrongdoing by Trump.
Following the disclosures, Trump called on Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI to investigate alleged connections between Epstein and former Democratic President Bill Clinton, as well as former Harvard University president and Clinton-era Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, despite a Justice Department memo from July concluding that no evidence supported opening new investigations into individuals not previously charged.
Epstein, who for years recruited and abused underage girls with assistance from his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. The New York medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Trump’s supporters have long been deeply engaged with the Epstein saga, voicing anger over the FBI and Justice Department’s conclusion that Epstein acted alone, maintained no “client list,” and did not blackmail high-profile associates. The upcoming House vote is expected to intensify the political battle, setting the stage for what could be one of the most contentious transparency fights of Trump’s presidency.
