Trump signs Epstein files bill after months of fighting transparency, gives DOJ 30 days

Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Nov. 19, 2025, requiring DOJ to release all unclassified files about Jeffrey Epstein by Dec. 19—exactly 30 days after enactment. The law demands searchable, downloadable documents with minimal redactions.

The House passed the bill 427-1 on Nov. 18, with Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins as the lone no vote. He claimed releasing files could "harm innocent people," though the law already protects victim identities. The Senate approved it by unanimous consent the same day.

Trump fought this bill for months, calling it a "Democrat hoax" in Sep. and Oct. 2025. His position created rare Republican disunity—Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others publicly broke with him. Trump only reversed on Nov. 17, three days before signing, after political pressure from his own base mounted.

The discharge petition that forced the vote needed 218 signatures. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) filed it in Sep. after Speaker Johnson refused to schedule a vote. On Nov. 12, Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) became the 218th signer: 214 Democrats plus just 4 Republicans out of 222 in the GOP caucus.

Attorney General Pam Bondi must provide Congress an unredacted list of "all government officials and politically exposed persons" named in the files. The law explicitly states, "No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity." Bondi can only withhold information that jeopardizes ongoing federal investigations.

Trump asked Bondi to investigate Epstein's Democratic connections the week before signing, naming Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Reid Hoffman, and JPMorgan Chase. In his signing statement, Trump wrote the release might "reveal the truth about these Democrats." Bondi claims "new information" justifies investigating, but won't specify what changed since DOJ's 2019 conclusion that found no evidence to charge additional parties.

The DOJ missed the Dec. 19 deadline. As of late Dec. 2025, Justice released heavily redacted files critics say violate the law. Lawmakers from both parties threatened contempt proceedings. DOJ claims it discovered over 1 million additional documents and needs "a few more weeks," but the law's 30-day deadline didn't include extensions.

Grand jury materials remain sealed by separate court order—a federal judge ruled in Aug. 2025 that approximately 70 pages must stay sealed under judicial secrecy rules. Congress can't override this because grand jury secrecy is controlled by the judiciary, not the executive or legislative branches.