President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a landmark bill requiring the public release of federal records connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The move has triggered a tense standoff in Washington over whether the administration will permit full disclosure—or find new ways to keep damaging details hidden.
Trump surprised lawmakers when he reversed months of resistance to the legislation, allowing it to pass Congress in a rare bipartisan wave on Tuesday. The president quietly announced the signing on social media late Wednesday, avoiding the fanfare that typically accompanies high-profile bills.
Despite the breakthrough, officials and lawmakers warn that significant portions of the Epstein files could still be shielded from public view through extensive redactions, procedural obstacles, or claims that ongoing investigations prevent full release.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer issued a sharp warning:
“Once the president signs the bill, he must apply and execute it faithfully. There must be no funny business from Donald Trump,” he said on the Senate floor, cautioning that the administration must not hide documents under the guise of pending probes.
Epstein, a wealthy financier who mingled with global elites, was accused of trafficking underage girls to influential figures across business, politics, and academia. His network, and the secrecy surrounding it, has long fueled public suspicion—especially after his 2019 death in a New York jail, officially ruled a suicide.
Trump and his allies have frequently weaponised the scandal to target Democrats, yet the former president’s own friendship with Epstein has prompted questions about what he may have known.
The bill’s passage marked an emotionally charged moment, with survivors of Epstein’s abuse filling the House gallery and erupting in cheers as the vote was confirmed. The overwhelming support amounted to a rebuke of Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had initially opposed the measure.
Under the act, the Justice Department has 30 days to publish unclassified files—including flight logs, transcripts, and communications—on a searchable online database. Only narrow exceptions for legitimate privacy and security concerns are allowed.
Yet scepticism persists. Some analysts argue that Trump’s newly ordered investigation into Epstein’s ties to Democrats could be used to justify withholding key documents.
“This might be a big smoke screen… a last-ditch effort to prevent the release of the Epstein files,” Congressman Thomas Massie, who championed the bill, told ABC News.
The Justice Department and FBI previously said they had found no new evidence warranting further action. Attorney General Pam Bondi, however, claimed there is “additional information” now under review, insisting that transparency will be upheld.
“We encourage all victims to come forward,” Bondi said. “And we will continue to provide maximum transparency under the law.”
The coming weeks will determine whether the public finally gets the full truth—or another chapter of secrecy surrounding one of the most controversial cases in modern American history.