President Trump Signs Act Mandating DOJ Disclosure of Epstein Files

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, United States President Donald Trump enacted the Epstein Files Transparency Act, announcing the signing via his Truth Social platform. The legislation establishes a firm 30-day deadline for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly release all unclassified investigative materials related to Jeffrey Epstein. This action, which passed Congress with near-unanimous support, marks a significant step toward mandated disclosure of records concerning the financier.

The bill's legislative journey demonstrated broad bipartisan consensus, passing the House of Representatives with a vote of 427-1, with Representative Clay Higgins as the sole dissenting vote, followed by unanimous approval in the Senate. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who began her tenure on February 5, 2025, has affirmed the DOJ's commitment to adhering strictly to the 30-day timeline, emphasizing a dedication to maximum openness. The Act permits the withholding of information directly pertaining to victims or any active criminal investigations, but explicitly prohibits the Department from citing 'embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity' as grounds for redaction.

The legislation further mandates that the DOJ submit a comprehensive report detailing any redactions within 15 days following the main document release, establishing an additional accountability mechanism. The unclassified materials slated for release include deposition transcripts, internal agency memoranda, and correspondence logs compiled during the initial federal probes into Epstein's activities across multiple jurisdictions.

In the immediate aftermath of the disclosure of thousands of pages of related records, former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has stepped away from numerous professional engagements. These documents reportedly detailed the nature and extent of his continuing association with Epstein. Summers announced his resignation from the board of directors at OpenAI and initiated a leave of absence from his teaching duties at Harvard University, which concurrently began an internal review into his connections with Epstein. His withdrawal also encompassed positions with Bloomberg News, The New York Times, the Brookings Institution's Hamilton Project, the Center for American Progress, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, and the Yale Budget Lab.

This executive action coincides with internal political dynamics affecting Senate leadership. Chuck Schumer, serving as Senate Democratic Leader since the start of 2025, had previously stated his party would actively challenge any lack of transparency from the President regarding the document release. This political tension is further complicated by internal party pressure on Schumer to resign from his leadership post, stemming from a government funding dispute that occurred in November 2025.

The legislative effort for transparency followed months of public and political scrutiny regarding the scope of the original investigations and the individuals associated with Epstein over several decades. The 30-day compliance period for the DOJ commenced immediately following the November 19, 2025, signing, placing significant logistical pressure on the agency to meet the stringent deadline for public dissemination, setting a new precedent for congressional oversight in sensitive federal investigations.