WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Now that both the House and Senate have voted to force the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the legislation is headed to President Donald Trump‘s desk for his signature.
Here’s the timeline on when the Epstein files could be released and what could be inside.
When will the Epstein files be made public?
If Trump signs the bill, called the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the Justice Department would have 30 days to release its records on the Epstein investigation. Fifteen days after that, the department must submit a report to Congress explaining any withholdings or redactions. It’s unclear if that document would ever become public.
The DOJ has not outlined exactly how it plans to comply, but Attorney General Pam Bondi said the department would follow the law with “maximum transparency.”
“We will continue to follow the law with maximum transparency while protecting victims,” she said Wednesday during a press conference on an unrelated issue.
Trump, who spent months resisting the release of the files, this week committed to signing the legislation. However, if Trump vetoes the bill, it could be overridden by a two-thirds vote, which could further delay the release.
What could be in the Epstein files?
The bill forces the release of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as information about the investigation into his death in federal prison.
The bill does allow redactions to protect victims’ identities and to remove any material depicting child sexual abuse, but flight logs, personal communications, immunity agreements, and internal memos must be included.
The carve-out is meant to protect victims and ongoing cases, and names and details that could identify survivors or jeopardize active investigations will be redacted.
Congress and the Epstein files
Tuesday’s vote marked a significant step in the growing demand for transparency surrounding Epstein, a politically connected financier who died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
The effort was initially met with opposition from Trump and Republican leadership, though Trump eventually reversed course and said this week that Republicans should support the bill.
Asked by a reporter if he would approve the measure, Trump responded, “Sure I would. Let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it,” while adding that he didn’t want the issue to “take away from us.”
The Senate unanimously passed the measure after all but one House lawmaker voted for it on Tuesday.
Why survivors and lawmakers remain skeptical
Despite Trump’s public commitment, some Epstein survivors and several lawmakers doubt the administration will fully release the records.
Teresa J. Helm, an Epstein abuse survivor, said her “trust in the DOJ is pretty rocky,” a sentiment shared by others who point out that Trump could have ordered the release of the files at any time without waiting for Congress.
Another source of concern is Trump’s call for the DOJ to investigate Democrats in connection with the Epstein case. If an official investigation is launched, the department could cite it as justification for withholding or heavily redacting documents.
Bondi also noted that some material may not be suitable for public release because it involves graphic crimes against minors or individuals who were associated with Epstein but may not have committed a crime.