US President Donald Trump signed legislation on Wednesday to release files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after pressure from democrats and amid tensions within his own party regarding the delay in the release of these files.
“Democrats have used the ‘Epstein’ issue, which affects them far more than the Republican Party, in order to try and distract from our AMAZING Victories,” Trump said, adding, “I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!”
Blaming the Democrats for being associated with the late financier, Trump said, “Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged by the Trump Justice Department in 2019 (Not the Democrats!), was a lifelong Democrat, donated Thousands of Dollars to Democrat Politicians, and was deeply associated with many well-known Democrat figures, such as Bill Clinton.”
Trump said that the Democrats created “Witch Hunts and Scams,” which have been terrible and divisive for the United States, and have been done to confuse, deflect, and distract from the “GREAT JOB that Republicans and the Trump Administration are doing.”
He further said, “This latest hoax will backfire on the Democrats just as all of the rest have.”
Epstein files to be released in 30 days
Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the Justice Department will publicly disclose all eligible files related to Epstein within the next 30 days, the New York Post reported.
"We will continue to follow the law and encourage maximum transparency," Bondi said.
The signed bill mandates the Justice Department to disclose all files and communications concerning Epstein, including details about the 2019 federal prison investigation into his death, within 30 days. It permits redactions related to Epstein’s victims for ongoing federal inquiries, but the DOJ cannot withhold information on grounds such as “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity,” AP reported.
Trump's latest move marked a remarkable turn of events for what was once a distant effort to release the Epstein files from a unique coalition of Democrats, one GOP critic of the president, and a few former Trump supporters. Just last week, the Trump administration even called in Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a Republican supporter of releasing the files, to the Situation Room for a discussion, though she did not change her stance.
It has been repeatedly claimed that Trump was friends with Epstein, who is connected to the world’s elite. However, Trump has consistently said that he was unaware of Epstein’s crimes and ended ties with him several years ago.
