President Donald Trump has called on Republicans in Congress to support the release of files connected to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, marking a shift from his earlier reluctance to do so, Reuters reports.
His statement on Truth Social came shortly after House Speaker Mike Johnson argued that a vote to publish the Justice Department documents could help dispel claims linking Trump to Epstein’s abuse and trafficking of underage girls.
Trump had recently dismissed the focus on the files as a Democratic smear, yet he has now directed the Department of Justice to examine the connections between prominent Democrats and Epstein.
The dispute over further disclosure of Epstein-related material, an issue Trump previously championed, has created tensions among his allies in Congress. Many of his strongest supporters believe the government is still holding back sensitive documents that could expose the financier’s ties to influential public figures.
Late on Friday, Trump withdrew his backing for Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, once one of his most loyal defenders, after she criticised Republicans on several matters including the handling of the Epstein file debate.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California, who initiated the petition calling for a vote on releasing the documents, said on Sunday that he expected more than 40 Republicans to support the move.
Republicans currently maintain a narrow majority in the House with 219 seats compared with 214 held by Democrats
