Freshly released emails have cast a stark new light on Donald Trump's relationship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting the former president was aware of the illicit activities at the heart of the scandal.
Damning Evidence Emerges
On Wednesday, 12 November 2025, Democrats on the House oversight committee released a batch of three emails that directly implicate Trump. One message features Epstein himself stating, "of course [Trump] knew about the girls" who were procured for his sex-trafficking ring. Another email alleges that Trump "spent hours" with one victim at Epstein's residence.
This disclosure is set to intensify pressure on the White House to release the full cache of documents known as the Epstein files, a shadow that has loomed over Trump's second term. The scandal involves numerous victims who reported being assaulted at Epstein's properties in New York, Florida, and his private island, Little St James.
Political Battle Erupts
In a swift countermove, the committee's Republican majority released a vast tranche of 23,000 documents, accusing Democrats of selectively "cherry picking" evidence to create sensationalist headlines. The political skirmish highlights the deep partisan divide surrounding the investigation.
President Trump responded vehemently on his Truth Social platform, labelling the renewed focus a "Hoax" and an attempt by Democrats to deflect from their handling of the recent government shutdown. He urged Republicans to focus solely on reopening the government, stating, "There should be no deflections to Epstein or anything else."
Other Key Developments
In related political news, the longest US government shutdown in history, lasting over 42 days, was ended by a House vote. The legislation, negotiated by Republicans and a splinter group of Democrats, restarts federal operations but omits the healthcare funding the minority party had demanded.
Meanwhile, the newest member of Congress, Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva, was sworn in and immediately signed a petition to force a House vote on legislation requiring the full release of the Epstein files.
In other events from Wednesday:
- Trump threatened a billion-dollar lawsuit against the BBC over an edited speech.
- The US Mint struck its last circulating penny after Trump cancelled the one-cent coin.
- Over 252 Venezuelans expelled to El Salvador under Trump's mass deportation policy were reported to have suffered systematic torture and abuse.
