US Senate Passes Bill to Disclose Epstein Documents... Awaiting Trump's Signature

Passed in the Senate After the House
Only President Trump's Final Signature Remains
Justice Department Must Disclose Investigation Records Upon Signing

On the 18th (local time), after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to disclose documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein at the U.S. Capitol, people were hugging each other. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

On November 18 (local time), the United States Senate unanimously passed a bill to fully disclose documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who has been at the center of allegations involving President Donald Trump.

According to Politico, Axios, and other sources, the Senate approved the bill-previously passed by the House of Representatives-using unanimous consent. This procedure requires the agreement of all senators but allows the vote itself to be skipped, enabling swift passage.

Earlier, the House of Representatives passed the bill with 427 votes in favor and 1 against, a result that was virtually unanimous. The sole dissenting vote came from Clay Higgins, a four-term Republican congressman from Louisiana.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, stated in his floor speech that "this bill is intended to provide the transparency the American people have long demanded," adding, "The American public and the victims of Jeffrey Epstein have waited long enough. Now is the time to reveal the truth," urging the bill's passage.

The next step is for President Trump to take action. If the bill receives his final signature, the Department of Justice will be required to release the related documents.

That night, President Trump posted on Truth Social, saying, "I don't care whether the Senate passes the House bill today or in the near future," and proceeded to list his accomplishments during his term. However, he did not clarify whether he would sign the bill or exercise his veto power.

Epstein, a billionaire hedge fund manager from New York, pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges of sexually exploiting minors and died by suicide in jail in 2019. Documents detailing his connections and private life include the names of numerous prominent figures, with President Trump among them. President Trump has consistently maintained that he had no involvement in Epstein's crimes.