A protester holding a sign related to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein case files outside the US Capitol in Washington on Nov 12.PHOTO: AFP

Epstein vote shatters Trump’s aura of invincibility 

by · The Straits Times

Summary

  • Facing pressure, Congress overwhelmingly voted (427-1) to release all Epstein files within 30 days, overcoming Trump's initial resistance.
  • Public figures, including Trump and Bill Clinton, face scrutiny. Victims demand accountability, highlighting the political and personal impact.
  • Despite the defeat, experts suggest Trump's political future hinges on economic issues more than the Epstein file revelations.

AUSTIN - US President Donald Trump was handed a stunning political defeat by his own party on Nov 18, when the US Congress almost to a man voted to release the Epstein files.

The defeat, forced upon him by staunch supporters of his Make America Great Again (Maga) movement, including Georgia lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene,
shattered his aura of invincibility in a party he has dominated since the 2024 election.