U.S. House votes for full release of Epstein files

The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to force the Department of Justice to release all unclassified documents tied to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a major shift in Washington’s long-running political standoff over the case.

The 427–1 vote came just a day after President Donald Trump abruptly reversed his months-long resistance and urged Republicans to support the measure, insisting, “we have nothing to hide.”

Epstein, whose reported death in a Manhattan jail in 2019 was officially ruled a “suicide”, maintained ties with an array of wealthy and influential figures—a fact that continues to ignite political sparring between Democrats and Republicans.

While the House resolution compels broad disclosure, it still allows the Justice Department to hold back material tied to active investigations.

Despite promising transparency during his campaign and authorising prior releases, Trump had spent months dismissing the push as an “Epstein hoax.” His reversal follows the publication of a Democratic-released email in which Epstein claimed Trump “knew about the girls,” prompting the president to order a counter-probe into Epstein’s connections with prominent Democrats, including former president Bill Clinton.

The bill now heads to the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune has declined to say whether it will advance.