US House to vote on releasing ‘Epstein Files’
The bill is expected to pass the lower house of Congress after US President Donald Trump removed his opposition to releasing the files and called for Republicans to vote in favor.
Thomas Massie and Marjorie Taylor-Greene, seen here outside the Capitol on Tuesday, are among Republicans calling for a vote
The lower house of US Congress, the House of Representatives, on Tuesday is voting on a measure calling for the US Justice Department to release all documents on the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Vote comes after Trump U-Turn
While the vote was initially opposed by US President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, opposition from within his party prompted Trump to later reverse his position, calling on Republicans to vote to release the files.
Critics of the president had accused him of attempting to block their release in a bid to conceal any potential references to him in the files.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
Republican House speaker Mike Johnson has continued to push back on releasing the filesImage: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Sipa USA/picture alliance
Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges in a federal sex trafficking investigation.
He was previously convicted of soliciting prostitution with a girl under the age of 19.
Last week, the House Oversight Committee released thousands of emails and documents obtained by subpoenaing Epstein’s estate earlier this year.
Trump’s name appeared in a 2019 Epstein e-mail addressed to a journalist, in which the financier says Trump “knew about the girls.”
The White House has accused Democrats of selectively leaking emails in a political campaign against Trump.
The US president has not been officially accused of any wrongdoing.
