When will the Epstein files be released? Everything we know | indy100

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Donald Trump has signed legislation to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019. Although there was no signing ceremony, Trump confirmed the move on Truth Social, announcing the development directly to his followers.

"I have just signed the bill to release the Epstein files!" Trump wrote on Wednesday night (19 November). "Democrats have used the ‘Epstein’ issue, which affects them far more than the Republican Party, in order to try and distract from our AMAZING Victories."

Trump, who previously called the Epstein issue a Democrat "hoax", made a U-turn to support the bill after initially opposing it.

The legislation was passed by an overwhelming 472–1 vote in the House, including support from 216 Republicans, with the US Senate also approving it ahead of Trump’s signature.

Here’s everything we know about what happens next:

When will the Epstein files be released?

While an exact date hasn’t been confirmed, all unclassified Epstein files are expected to be made public within 30 days of the bill being signed into law.

The documents are required to be fully accessible, allowing both searching and downloading.

What will be in the Epstein files?

The documents are said to include around 100,000 files believed to include memos, flight logs, and communications relating to Epstein and his ex-partner Ghislaine Maxwell.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has the power to redact or withhold sensitive information.

Who was the one Republican who voted against releasing the Epstein files?

Despite an overwhelming vote of support, there was one lone "no", cast by the Republican Louisiana lawmaker Clay Higgins.

“It abandons 250 years of criminal justice procedure in America,” Higgins posted on X/Twitter.

He went on to argue that the safeguarding of personal information belonging to Epstein’s victims was his primary concern.

"As written, this bill reveals and injures thousands of innocent people — witnesses, people who provided alibis, family members, etc. If enacted in its current form, this type of broad reveal of criminal investigative files, released to a rabid media, will absolutely result in innocent people being hurt," he continued.

Fact-checkers on X, however, have stated that the bill, H.R.4405, includes redactions protecting the names of victims and uninvolved individuals.

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