US President Donald Trump has approved legislation requiring the release of documents tied to the federal investigation of Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in custody in 2019. The move follows overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress, signalling renewed public and political pressure for transparency in the case.
The House of Representatives passed the bill with a 427-1 vote, followed by unanimous consent in the Senate. The approval came after tense exchanges between lawmakers, who accused each other of delaying public access to information. While the bill was widely supported, members of both parties argued over its timing and political implications.
The Department of Justice has already shared nearly 50,000 pages of material with Congress, and the new legislation is expected to accelerate the release process. Some lawmakers, however, raised concerns that certain documents may remain inaccessible if tied to ongoing investigations.
Recent political developments also added to the momentum. After initially resisting full document disclosure, Trump shifted his stance and encouraged his party to support the bill. He also distanced himself from Epstein, denying any association beyond previously acknowledged encounters.
The Epstein case resurfaced in the public spotlight last week when the House Oversight Committee released a large cache of emails from the Epstein estate. Both Democrats and Republicans published selected documents, accusing each other of controlling the narrative. The White House dismissed the released emails as insignificant.
Amid the renewed scrutiny, former US Treasury Secretary and ex-Harvard president Larry Summers announced he would step back from public roles after emails revealed his prolonged communication with Epstein following the latter&rsquo;s 2008 conviction.
With the signing of the bill, the release of Epstein-related documents is now set to proceed, fueling expectations of further political and public fallout as more information becomes available.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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US Congress clears Epstein records bill; Trump approves release amid political tensions

Trump Signs Bill to Release Epstein Files

US Congress clears Epstein records bill; Trump approves release amid political tensions

November 20, 2025 | 09:55 IST