When could the House vote on releasing Epstein files? What we know.
- - When could the House vote on releasing Epstein files? What we know.
Kathryn Palmer, USA TODAYNovember 14, 2025 at 12:50 AM
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A hotly debated House vote is expected next week following the bombshell release of Jeffrey Epstein's emails alleging the president knew about the convicted sex offender's alleged sex trafficking.
After months of pushback, Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said on Nov. 12 that a vote will be held next week on a bill that could require the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files.
Live updates: New Epstein emails intensify records debate as Trump pressures GOP lawmakers.
Johnson offered up his rough timeline after a group of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle used an obscure petition to bypass House leadership opposition amid ongoing House investigations into the disgraced financier. Epstein died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Johnson said on Nov. 12, after the petition appeared headed toward success, that the House would hold a vote addressing the release of the files next week, teeing up a floor battle on an issue Johnson has for months tried to avoid.
1 / 22Victims of Jeffrey Epstein rally at Capitol Hill to demand release of filesRep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks during a news conference with alleged victims of disgraced financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein outside the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 3, 2025 in Washington, DC.
The Epstein files have become a stubborn thorn in the side of President Donald Trump and Republicans, causing leading MAGA voices and commentators to splinter over the administration's handling of related investigations of the participants in Epstein's alleged trafficking ring. If the bill passes the House next week, it would be sent to the Senate for a round of debate and votes − likely extending the spotlight on Epstein and Trump.
The bipartisan petition itself laid bare the party's divisions when four House Republicans ‒ Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Thomas Massie of Kentucky ‒ chose to keep their names on the document, breaking with the party to push for the release of the files.
Amid the vote that ended the shutdown on Nov. 12, House Democrats released three Epstein emails written between 2011 and 2019 in which Epstein mentioned Trump by name. In one of the emails, Epstein wrote that Trump "spent hours at my house" with one of Epstein's victims. In another, Epstein said Trump "knew about the girls." The allegations against Epstein include charges that he conspired to transport minors across state lines to have sex with his clients.
Anouska De Georgiou pauses during her remarks at a press conference to discuss the Epstein Files Transparency bill, directing the release of the remaining files related to the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 3, 2025.
The White House called the email release a "smear," and Trump said on social media that Democrats are trying to "deflect" from other issues.
In a social media post, Trump warned Republicans not to vote for a bill requiring the full release of the government's records on Epstein, saying “Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap," and calling the issue a "hoax."
Contributing: Joey Garrison, USA TODAY.
Kathryn Palmer is a politics reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected] and on X @KathrynPlmr.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When could the House vote on releasing Epstein files?
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