After months of fighting the release of additional files from the federal investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump was expected to sign legislation to release additional documents once it reaches his desk.
The Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that demands the Justice Department release more of the Epstein files, a day after the legislation passed overwhelmingly in the House. But the bill has not yet been presented to the president, and it wasn’t clear when it might reach his desk.
Mr. Trump said this week he would sign the legislation, promising to “give them everything.”
“Let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it,” he said in the Oval Office on Monday. That was a turnaround for Mr. Trump, who has maintained his position that the push to release the files is designed to hurt him politically.
Even after Mr. Trump signs the bill, that might not mean a full release of every file from the criminal investigation.
The legislation contains several exceptions that are similar to the reasons Attorney General Pam Bondi initially withheld most of the files.
Under the legislation, the Trump administration may withhold records that are classified, identify victims or include images of child sexual abuse. The legislation also allows records to be withheld if they would jeopardize an active federal investigation.
The Justice Department has already said the files it withheld contained images of victims, downloaded videos of illegal child sex abuse or materials that had been ordered sealed by a court.
Moreover, Mr. Trump demanded that the Justice Department launch an investigation into Democrats mentioned in some of the emails turned over by the Epstein estate. Ms. Bondi quickly said she had started the investigation. That could give the administration another reason to withhold documents.
A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on whether officials would use that investigation as a reason to decline to release additional documents.
On Wednesday, Ms. Bondi skirted questions about her plans to comply with the bill. Ms. Bondi, speaking at department headquarters, vowed to “follow the law” and protect the Epstein victims. She promised to be transparent if more material were released.
She said that “new information” obtained by investigators had prompted her to reverse her decision to close the case four months ago, but she declined to say what that information was.
By his own admission, Mr. Trump was friendly for at least 15 years with Mr. Epstein. The multimillionaire financier and convicted sex offender was found hanged in his cell in August 2019 as he awaited trial; his death was ruled a suicide.
Mr. Trump has emphatically denied any involvement in or knowledge of Mr. Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation and said the men broke off contact years ago. He has said his dispute with Mr. Epstein stemmed from times the financier “stole” spa attendants at Mar-a-Lago by hiring them away.
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump called Mr. Epstein a “sick pervert.”
Glenn Thrush contributed reporting.
Luke Broadwater covers the White House for The Times.
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