Black Caucus members call out Trump after House vote to release Epstein files

“Releasing these files isn’t about spotlighting the relationship between the president and a known sex offender—it’s about transparency,” said U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif.

The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly voted on Tuesday to release the FBI files related to sex trafficking pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. As the Epstein Files Transparency Act makes its way to the U.S. Senate and potentially to President Donald Trump‘s desk for signature, Democrats are pointing at the Trump administration, which they say is slow walking transparency amid heightened attention on Trump’s relationship with Epstein.

“Let’s not forget: The Department of Justice is already compelled to release the Epstein files to the Oversight Committee because of my motion to subpoena, and they have slow-walked their release for months,” said U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., who successfully motioned for the Trump Department of Justice to release the Epstein files to the House Oversight Committee on Aug. 5.

Congresswoman Lee also said President Trump has “the power to compel the DOJ to release the files immediately and has failed to do so.”

The 37-year-old lawmaker said Tuesday’s vote in the U.S. House is a “testament to the power of the people who pressured their government to take action.”

She added, “Now, the Senate must take up this bill and it must be signed into law. No matter how wealthy or well-connected, every person who is complicit, enabled, or abused women and girls will be brought to justice.”

U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who is a survivor of sexual assault, said of Epstein’s victims, “I know the pain and trauma they carry daily.”

The Massachusetts congresswoman similarly said, “To be clear, Trump already has the authority to release the full Epstein files, as mandated by the House Oversight Committee’s [August] subpoena, and he must do so today.”

Pressley said the vote to release the Epstein files is an “important and long overdue step toward the healing, accountability, and transparency that survivors deserve.”

She continued, “It is disgraceful that survivors have had to wait decades for the truth—and even more damning that Congress must force Donald Trump to do right by these women after months of obstruction by he and his Republican co-conspirators.”

President Trump, who reversed course days ago by telling House Republicans to vote in favor of the Epstein bill amid political pressure, said in the Oval Office on Tuesday, “I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert.”

Trump repeatedly called the Epstein controversy a “hoax.”

As theGrio previously reported, Trump has grown increasingly incensed over the Epstein controversy after being repeatedly named in emails sent to and from Epstein, including those that alleged Trump knew of Epstein’s sex trafficking of young girls and spent hours with at least one victim in Epstein’s home. Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and none of Epstein’s victims have named him as a co-conspirator.

Trump had a years-long friendship with Epstein, whom the president said he had a falling out with some years ago.

But Democrats and some Republicans believe Trump’s change of heart is a ploy and that the Department of Justice will ultimately not release the files after Trump ordered an investigation of Epstein’s relationships with other high-profile figures.

“If there’s open cases, then that is your excuse for legally not allowing those documents to be out,” U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, told CNN on Monday.

“After campaigning on a promise to release the Epstein files, Donald Trump instead used the weight of his administration to delay, dilute, and even block their disclosure,” said U.S. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif. 

“Releasing these files isn’t about spotlighting the relationship between the president and a known sex offender—it’s about transparency, accountability, and justice for every woman who has been denied it after being harmed by a powerful man. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and Trump should finally make good on his promise by releasing the files today.”