Senate Republicans warn Trump DOJ not to slow walk Epstein files release

A bill to disclose a large number of files related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein soared through both chambers of Congress on Tuesday and has since been signed by President Donald Trump. Despite that progress, concerns are still mounting that the administration will further delay the release, and now even Trump’s own party is pressuring him to be quick about it.

As The Hill reported on Thursday, several GOP members of Congress have spoken about concerns that Trump’s attorney general, Pam Bondi, might slow down the disclosure of the files and pressure the Department of Justice to avoid such a situation. Concerns are also growing that the DOJ might attempt to use ongoing investigations as an excuse not to release certain sensitive records.

“I don’t think that that will help calm the suspicions many have harbored for a long while on this,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, said about the matter, adding that “people who feel very strongly about this will feel like they’ve been duped [if the DOJ says] can’t release anything because we have an active investigation.”

Per the language in the disclosure bill passed on Tuesday, the DOJ has 30 days to release all relevant files and records. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, acknowledged the potential risk to ongoing investigations, but also warned that delaying the release could trigger a serious backlash.

“You can adjust for whatever investigations are going on but if you do a blanket hold, I think that they’re going to have a lot of people angry,” Tillis said. “I think they would do well to figure how to release as much as possible and then have a very well-articulated reason for that which they can’t. It would add fuel to the fire if they don’t produce something meaningful.”

“Obviously, it would be a mistake because Congress has spoken,” Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said. “I fully expect the Justice Department to release all the documents. It will take a while but I believe they’ve started on it right now… I’m hoping we’ll see the first tranche [of files] after Thanksgiving.”

Each senator cited the overwhelming vote margins for the Epstein release bill in both chambers of Congress when pressuring the DOJ for swift and timely disclosures. The bill passed in the House 427-1, and later passed the Senate by unanimous consent.