President Donald Trump has signed into law a bill mandating the release of files related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, a move that has reignited scrutiny over the scope of Epstein’s crimes and his connections to high-profile figures across politics, business, and entertainment.
The announcement, made on Trump’s social media platform late Wednesday, comes after months of public pressure on the administration to make the documents available. Earlier, US Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasised that the Department of Justice would “follow the law” and “encourage maximum transparency” in the case.
The legislation, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed Congress this week with strong bipartisan support. It requires the Justice Department to release all unclassified materials related to Epstein within 30 days, in a searchable and downloadable format. While the law allows authorities to withhold sensitive details—such as information that could identify victims, implicate ongoing investigations, or affect national security—it explicitly forbids withholding documents for reasons of “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity,” including for government officials or public figures.
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Epstein’s web of connections has long fuelled speculation. A judge earlier this year estimated that files on the disgraced financier could total roughly 100,000 pages. Despite public disclosure of some documents, official explanations, including a joint memo by the Justice Department and the FBI clearing Epstein associates of criminal wrongdoing, have done little to quell public curiosity.
Trump framed the bill’s signing as a political win, highlighting Epstein’s ties to prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who this week stepped aside from teaching duties at Harvard amid scrutiny of emails detailing his friendship with Epstein. Trump described Epstein as a “lifelong Democrat” and suggested the released files might shed light on these associations, though neither Clinton nor Summers faces criminal charges.
The president himself had known Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, and his name appeared in recent emails obtained by lawmakers. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing or prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
Critics, however, have expressed scepticism that the administration will fully implement the law. US Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, said he feared “more stonewalling, more cover-up, more inartful ways of explaining why they’re covering up,” adding that the case may become “a test case in how not to handle a crisis.”