President Donald Trump has abruptly shifted his position on the highly contentious push to release files tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, calling on House Republicans to back the measure after months of opposing it. The reversal comes amid mounting pressure within the GOP and an expected surge of Republican votes in favor of the bill this week.
“We have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat hoax,” Trump wrote on social media late Sunday, shortly after returning to Washington from a weekend trip to Florida.
Trump’s endorsement marks a significant break from his earlier attempts to discourage Republicans from supporting the legislation, which has triggered internal party divisions and a very public feud with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — one of his longtime allies in the MAGA movement.
The bill would compel the Justice Department to release all documents and communications related to Epstein, including materials surrounding his death in federal custody. Victims’ identities and details tied to ongoing investigations could be redacted for protection.
The president’s newfound support follows signals that the bipartisan coalition behind the bill has enough momentum to secure passage in the House. Lawmakers backing the measure predict a sweeping victory, with Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie suggesting that more than 100 GOP members could vote yes.
Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna forced the issue to the House floor through a rarely successful discharge petition, which crossed the threshold of 218 signatures last week after newly sworn-in Rep. Adelita Grijalva signed on.
The dispute has exposed sharp rifts within the Republican Party. Greene, along with Reps. Nancy Mace and Lauren Boebert, had defied leadership to join the petition, prompting Trump to publicly sever ties with Greene and threaten to support a primary challenger against her in 2026. Greene insists she simply wants transparency, questioning why releasing the files had become such a contested issue.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who previously dismissed the petition, now appears resigned to the bill’s passage. He said the House would “get this done,” adding that there is “nothing to hide.”
The vote arrives as new documents continue to surface, including a 2019 email in which Epstein claimed Trump “knew about the girls.” The White House has denounced the email’s release as a partisan attack, noting that Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing.
Epstein, who died in jail in 2019, had long-standing connections across political and celebrity circles, and the mere appearance of a name in investigative files does not imply misconduct.
Despite growing support, the bill faces uncertainty in the Senate, where Republican leadership has not committed to advancing it. Massie said pressure on senators will intensify if the House delivers a strong bipartisan vote.
“The record of this vote will last longer than Donald Trump’s presidency,” Massie said.
