Former President Donald Trump has dramatically intensified his pressure campaign on congressional Republicans to block the complete release of justice department files concerning Jeffrey Epstein, setting the stage for a critical House vote scheduled for next week.
The Discharge Petition Reaches Critical Mass
The political showdown reached a pivotal moment on Wednesday when Democratic representative Adelita Grijalva was finally sworn in after House Speaker Mike Johnson had delayed the ceremony for nearly two months during the government shutdown. Her addition provided the crucial 218th signature needed on the discharge petition sponsored by Republican Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna.
This development forces a floor vote on legislation demanding the Department of Justice release all investigative files on Epstein within 30 days. Multiple Republican representatives, including Don Bacon of Nebraska, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania, have indicated they will support the measure, acknowledging their constituents' demand for transparency in the Epstein affair.
White House Lobbying Efforts Intensify
As the vote approaches, Trump has personally intervened to sway Republican supporters of the disclosure. According to CNN reports, Representative Lauren Boebert - one of four House Republicans who signed the petition - was summoned to a meeting in the White House Situation Room with Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI director Kash Patel to discuss her position on releasing the files.
Trump personally telephoned Boebert early Tuesday morning, just one day before Grijalva's swearing-in provided the decisive signature. The former president also attempted to contact Representative Nancy Mace, another Republican signatory, though they failed to connect directly.
Instead, Mace reportedly sent Trump a lengthy explanation detailing her personal experience as a survivor of sexual abuse and rape, clarifying why she could not alter her stance on the matter. She later affirmed on social media platform X that "the Epstein petition is deeply personal" to her.
Damning Email Revelations and Republican Countermove
These unsuccessful lobbying attempts coincided with House oversight committee Democrats releasing three incriminating emails suggesting Trump had knowledge of Epstein's activities. One email featured the convicted paedophile stating "of course [Trump] knew about the girls", while another described Trump as a "dog that hasn't barked" and noted he had "spent hours" with one victim at Epstein's residence.
The president's team countered that these documents were selectively chosen, prompting Republican representatives to release a substantially larger collection of over 20,000 files. Among these were documents revealing that Epstein's staff monitored Trump's air travel in relation to his own transportation arrangements, and that the late sex trafficker continued tracking news about his former friend years after their relationship deteriorated.
Despite potential House approval, the legislation faces significant obstacles in the Senate, where leaders have shown no indication they will bring it to a vote. Trump, who repeatedly promised during his campaign to release the Epstein files, has now dismissed the effort as a "Democrat hoax".
The justice department announced earlier this year it would disclose no further details about the case, sparking public demands for full transparency regarding the investigation into Epstein's activities.
