President Donald Trump on Sunday abruptly urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing federal files tied to Jeffrey Epstein, reversing his earlier opposition and insisting he has "nothing to hide."
In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump called on GOP lawmakers to support a pending bill that would require the Justice Department to declassify a broad range of Epstein-related documents. "House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files because we have nothing to hide," he wrote, framing the controversy as a political distraction orchestrated by Democrats.
The push comes as a bipartisan coalition, led by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., is pressuring House leaders for a floor vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The measure would mandate the release of thousands of pages of records, with limited redactions to protect victims or ongoing investigations.
Trump's reversal follows growing support inside the Republican caucus for full disclosure. House Speaker Mike Johnson has publicly backed releasing the files, saying the public has a right to see them and asserting there is "nothing to hide."
Still, the shift has exposed friction within the party. Massie warned last week that lawmakers who oppose the bill risk appearing to "protect pedophiles," while some Republican allies privately questioned Trump's willingness to open the records.
The president also signaled irritation that the issue has overshadowed GOP messaging on the economy and border security. "It's time to move on from this Democrat hoax," he wrote, accusing political opponents of inflaming the controversy to damage his administration.
The House is expected to take up the legislation as early as this week, though its fate in the Senate remains uncertain. Even if the bill passes, legal experts say the Justice Department could still seek to shield some material on privacy or national security grounds.
Epstein, a financier charged with sex-trafficking minors, died in federal custody in 2019. Years of speculation about his associates have fueled renewed demands for government transparency as additional documents continue to surface.
