U.S. House Votes 427-1 to Release Epstein Files in Rare Bipartisan Move.

The U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to demand the public release of long-sealed “Epstein files,” intensifying scrutiny of documents tied to investigations into convicted s** offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, the House approved the measure in a 427-1 vote, with Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins casting the lone “no” vote. The legislation now heads to the Senate, and if it passes there, it will still need President Donald Trump’s signature before it can take effect. The vote follows sustained pressure from lawmakers across the political spectrum, including Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has stepped up her push in recent weeks to unseal the records.

The bipartisan bill urges the Justice Department to publish “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.”

Material covered by the bill includes records tied to Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, flight manifests and travel documents, and references to “individuals named or referenced (including government officials) in connection with the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein,” according to a summary of the legislation.

The Justice Department’s disclosures under this bill would differ from the thousands of documents the administration provided to the House Oversight Committee last week. Those materials included emails from the Epstein estate in which Epstein mentioned Trump several times, questioned the president’s mental state, and suggested that Trump “knew about the girls” trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell.

When reached for comment about those emails on Wednesday, Nov. 12, the White House released a statement from press secretary Karoline Leavitt accusing House Democrats of promoting a “hoax” meant to distract from what she described as Trump’s “historic accomplishments.”

Trump has for years tried to distance himself from Epstein and redirect attention toward Democrats. But once it became clear the House bill had strong Republican backing and was likely to pass, he reversed his position and began urging GOP lawmakers to support it.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Nov. 16, Trump wrote, “House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax.”

Just two days earlier, on Friday, Nov. 14, he had said he “doesn’t care” if more documents are released. And when asked on Monday, Nov. 17, whether he would sign the bill if it reached his desk, Trump responded, “Sure I would,” adding, “It is really a Democrat problem,” according to Politico.

“The Democrats were Epstein’s friends, all of them,” Trump said. “And it is a hoax, the whole thing is a hoax. I don’t want to take it away from, really, the greatness of what the Republican party has accomplished over the last period of time.”

Even if Trump signs the measure, his administration would not be required to release every detail contained in the files. The Justice Department could still withhold information that is classified, that could identify victims, or that might interfere with an ongoing federal investigation.

However, under the bill, information cannot be withheld or redacted “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

The Justice Department has previously said it kept portions of Epstein-related material under seal because they contained images of victims and child s**** abuse material. According to reporting by The New York Times, the information was sealed by a court to avoid exposing “any additional third parties to allegations of illegal wrongdoing.”

The House legislation, formally titled the Epstein Files Transparency Act, was introduced by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and cosponsored by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie. Greene has emerged as one of the most outspoken advocates for making the records public.

She is one of four House Republicans who signed a petition forcing Tuesday’s vote, alongside Massie, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, and South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace.

Once a steadfast ally of the president, Greene has repeatedly demanded that the files be unsealed despite Trump’s earlier resistance. The president has at times lashed out at her for positions that deviate from his own, including her criticism of his foreign policy and his initial opposition to releasing the Epstein records.

Greene has said her stance has led to death threats, but she has remained publicly defiant. In a post on X on Sunday, Nov. 16, she wrote, “I believe in transparency. That’s why I’ve pushed to release the Epstein files. Survivors deserve the truth, and I won’t apologize for standing with them.”