Congress overwhelmingly passes bill to force release of Epstein files

Once the paperwork is sent from the House to the Senate, the bill will be sent straight to Trump, who has vowed to sign it into law.

Both the House and Senate acted decisively today to pass a bill forcing the Justice Department to release its files on the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The House approved the bill in a near-unanimous vote of 427-1. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the lone “no” vote. Hours later, the Senate agreed with unanimous consent to pass the measure.
Amid mounting pressure from his base, President Donald Trump reversed course and said he would sign the legislation if it passed both chambers, and encouraged House Republicans to vote in favor.
In his first visit to the White House since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Mohammed bin Salman received a warm welcome from Trump, who contradicted U.S. intelligence and said the Saudi crown prince “knew nothing” about the killing.

This live blog on the Trump administration for Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, has ended. See more coverage here.