Republican momentum is building in Congress to force the Trump administration to release all Justice Department files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sources say legislation directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to make the documents public appears inevitable.
President Trump has repeatedly dismissed calls from GOP lawmakers and MAGA activists to release the Epstein files. However, Republican sources tell reporters that Trump is losing this battle as the controversy continues to plague the White House since summer.
One Republican senator, speaking anonymously about the sensitive topic, told The Hill that Congress will eventually pass legislation forcing Bondi to release all unclassified Epstein materials. The senator noted many GOP lawmakers who initially followed Speaker Mike Johnson’s guidance are now vocally demanding file releases.
“Whole bunches of them have been very vocal about this. Most of the Freedom Caucus has been,” the senator explained. “The problem for some of these folks is that this has been an issue for years.”
The pressure intensified after Bondi stated in February that a list of Epstein’s clients sits on her desk for review. This comment created huge expectations that wealthy, well-connected men who participated in Epstein’s exploitation of girls and teenagers would be exposed.
“That was really unwise,” the lawmaker said about Bondi’s February statement.
A discharge petition circulated by Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna currently needs just one more signature to reach the 218 required for a House floor vote. The bipartisan effort aims to force Bondi to release the Epstein files through legislative action.
Arizona’s special election on September 23 will likely provide that final signature. Adelita Grijalva, daughter of deceased Representative Raúl Grijalva, won the Democratic primary and is expected to win the seat. She would provide the crucial 218th signature.
Currently, only four House Republicans have signed the discharge petition. These include Massie along with Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nancy Mace, and Lauren Boebert. However, additional Republicans are expected to support the measure during floor voting.
Representative Eric Burlison, who hasn’t signed the petition, called for the Trump administration to prioritize releasing Epstein files. “The American people are sick and tired of being lied to by their government,” Burlison told Missouri media in July.
Representative Tim Burchett also wants Justice Department file releases. He told ABC News he was “ticked off” when Trump claimed Epstein files were a Democratic hoax.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune declined to comment on bringing House legislation to the Senate floor, calling it hypothetical. However, Thune acknowledged loud transparency calls within his party targeting Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
“I believe that transparency is always best and you should get as much information out there as you possibly can,” Thune told reporters. “I’m all for transparency, disclosure.”
Last week, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer caught Thune off guard by proposing an Epstein amendment to the defense authorization bill. Thune hadn’t protected against Democratic amendments, allowing Schumer to put GOP senators in difficult positions.
Despite leadership urging unity against the “political stunt,” Senators Josh Hawley and Rand Paul joined Democrats supporting transparency. This marked significant GOP defections on the Epstein issue.
Hawley explained his position based on previous transparency commitments. “My position has long been I think we ought to release those files and trust the American people, just like we did with the MLK files and the JFK files,” he said.
Paul supported the amendment as a matter of principle, citing public concerns about different treatment for wealthy individuals. “People are losing faith in government, and people have this idea that rich people get treated differently,” Paul explained.
“I feel this sense from the public that they think something untoward happened, that there was some kind of secret deal,” he added. Paul believes releasing files would reassure people that justice remains equal and impartial.
Senator Thom Tillis voted against Schumer’s amendment only because of procedural concerns. He said he would vote “in a heartbeat” for legitimate legislation making Epstein files public.
Republicans on the Appropriations Committee this summer adopted an amendment by Senator Chris Van Hollen directing Justice Department reporting on all Epstein materials. The amendment requires detailed reports on victims, testimony, co-conspirator investigations, and Epstein’s financial connections to governments.
This growing bipartisan pressure suggests the Trump administration faces mounting challenges in keeping Epstein files classified, despite White House preferences for moving past the controversy.
