U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a law requiring the U.S. Department of Justice to release files from the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The law requires the Department of Justice to publish all information from its investigation into Epstein “in a format that is searchable and downloadable” within 30 days.
Trump had previously opposed releasing the documents, but last week he shifted course after facing resistance from Epstein’s victims and members of his own Republican Party.
“We have nothing to hide,” Trump said before the congressional vote.
The law was passed on Tuesday by an overwhelming majority in both chambers of Congress – the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Trump: This hoax will backfire on the Democrats
In a social media post, the head of the White House accused the Democrats of pushing this issue in order to distract from the achievements of his administration.
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats and their ties to Jeffrey Epstein will soon be revealed, because I have just signed the law on releasing the Epstein files,” Trump wrote.
Although a congressional vote was not required to release the files – Trump could have ordered the release on his own – lawmakers in the House passed the bill with 427 votes in favor and one against. The Senate unanimously voted to pass the law, sending it to Trump for his signature.
“This latest hoax will backfire on the Democrats, just like all the others,” Trump said.
What the Epstein files are
The Epstein files subject to release, according to the law, are documents from the criminal investigations against the financier, including transcripts of conversations with victims and witnesses, as well as items seized during searches of his property.
These materials include internal Department of Justice communications, flight logs, and individuals and entities connected to Epstein.
The files differ from the more than 20,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate that Congress released last week, including some that directly mention Trump.
Nevertheless, Trump said that Republicans “have nothing to do with Epstein.”
“That is really a Democrat problem,” Trump said, adding that “the Democrats were Epstein’s friends, every single one of them.”
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in 2019 in his jail cell in New York, which was ruled a suicide. He had been detained on charges of trafficking minors for sexual exploitation. He had previously been convicted for procuring a minor for prostitution. He had connections to numerous prominent figures.
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Source: RTS, Foto: EPA-EFE / SHAWN THEW