On November 19 (US time), US President Donald Trump signed a bill forcing the Department of Justice to publish confidential records related to the late billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, in the context of being under strong pressure from his own party.
The approval comes as Congress is getting closer to drafting legal documents that Trump had been able to authorize the release of months ago. Trump wrote on social media that Democrats used the Epstein issue to overshadow what he considered outstanding achievements, and said he wanted to end this focus on the Republican Party.
The bill requires the Department of Justice to publicize all records and exchanges related to Epstein, along with information about the investigation into his death in a federal prison in 2019, within 30 days.
The document allows editing data related to victims to ensure ongoing federal investigations, but strictly prohibits information retention for reasons of embarrassment, reputational damage or political sensitivity.
Before Trump changed direction, the administration had invited lawmaker Lauren Boebert to the situations to discuss her stance on the issue, but she did not change her intention to support the disclosure of the dossier.
The weekend before the signing date, Trump suddenly reversed the situation when he realized that Congress would course take action. He explained that Epstein has become a factor that disrupts the Republican Party's agenda, so he wants to end this long debate.
The House passed the bill with 427 votes in favor and 1 against from Rep. Clay Higgins, who said the language in the document could expose information about innocent people. The Senate then passed the bill without a formal vote.
Trump and Epstein were once known, but Trump has always maintained that he was unaware of Epstein's criminal acts and had long cut off the relationship. Before Mr Trump returned to the White House for his second term, some of his close allies were promoting a plot theory about the government covering up information in related records.
Billionaire Epstein died in prison in 2019 for committing a suicide while facing charges of sex trafficking; while Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime collaborator, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for assisting in sexual abuse of minors.
