President Donald Trump said in a social media post Wednesday night that he signed the Jeffrey Epstein files bill, again accusing Democrats of associating with the disgraced financier and saying alleged ties between party members and Epstein “will soon be revealed.”
The president repeated his claim that the Epstein files are a distraction from his agenda and that what he has called a Democratic hoax will be “against the Democrats, just like everyone else has done.”
Two congressional aides told ABC News on Wednesday that the bill was transmitted to the White House at 4:38 p.m. on Wednesday.
Under the measure, the Justice Department has 30 days to release the materials once the president signs it. If Trump signs the bill on Wednesday, the deadline for his release would be December 19.
In this July 2, 2020, file photo, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Audrey Strauss announces charges against Ghislaine Maxwell during a news conference in New York.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
Ahead of Trump’s announcement, Attorney General Pam Bondi told ABC News on Wednesday that the Justice Department will “follow the law.”
Bondi also said that “new information” had reached the department about Epstein’s files, but did not elaborate on what the new information was.
It’s unclear when (or even if) the public will see the records, or how complete they might be, as the bill includes several exceptions to full disclosure that could complicate or delay disclosure.
The bill says the Justice Department “may withhold or redact” the identities and “personal and medical records” of Epstein’s victims. Bondi has said the department will “continue to follow the law while protecting victims.”
The Justice Department can also withhold material that “constitutes a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy” or “depicts or contains child sexual abuse,” according to the bill.
However, the bill contains language stating that “no record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted for reasons of embarrassment, harm to reputation, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”
The measure also states that the attorney general can withhold or redact information that “would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, as long as such withholding is temporary and specific.”
That could include any information related to the new investigation into alleged connections that top Democrats had to Epstein and that Trump directed Bondi to carry out.
For any material it decides to withhold or redact, the DOJ must describe the justifications for doing so within 15 days of its release.
Lisa Phillips, a survivor of Epstein’s abuse, speaks during a press conference with lawmakers about the Epstein Files Transparency Act in front of the US Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Heather Diehl/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Epstein survivors continue to push for the files to be made public.
“This is not political for us,” Dani Bensky told ABC News. “This is a survivor’s issue and we are grateful for all the people who came together to make this happen. We are cautiously optimistic that the publication will focus on transparency so that bad actors can no longer live in the shadows.”
Jena-Lisa Jones said: “What a great day for all the survivors. Now let’s see what happens next.”
ABC News’ Allison Pecorin, John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, Rebecca Gelpi, Michelle Stoddart, Fritz Farrow, Luke Barr, Alex Mallin, Ivan Pereira and Jim Hill contributed to this report.
