The Japan Times - Trump faces moment of truth on explosive Epstein Files

Trump stunned Washington at the weekend, reversing his months-long opposition to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, ensuring that it sailed through Congress on Tuesday in a rare show of bipartisan unity.

The spotlight now turns to the Republican president, a former close friend of the late sex offender. Only Trump can stand in the way of the release and he has pledged to sign the bill, despite featuring heavily in the case file.

Insiders warn that even with the president's signature, his administration could lean on redactions, procedural delays or lingering federal investigations to keep explosive details buried.

"We have to make sure that all of the documents are released, that there are no games," top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said after Congress signed off on the release.

Epstein, a wealthy financier, moved in elite circles for years, cultivating close ties with business tycoons, politicians, academics and celebrities to whom he was accused of trafficking girls and young women for sex.

Trump and his allies spent years pushing theories about powerful Democrats being protected over involvement with Epstein, making the case a potent symbol of how powerful men can hide behind lawyers, money and connections.

But Trump himself was a longtime associate of Epstein, raising questions over what he knew about the notorious figure.

Far beyond Trump's conspiracy-minded voter base, the saga dented public trust in the US justice system and raised suspicion among voters who believe important pieces of the story were either hidden or ignored.

Epstein's 2019 arrest fueled a storm of outrage and pressure for a full accounting of his network, his finances and the people who helped him evade.

Conspiracy theories about a cover-up only deepened after his death -- ruled a suicide -- in a New York jail soon after.

- 'Smoke screen' -

Passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in Congress marked a moment of emotional intensity, with abuse survivors filling the House gallery as the vote was called, hugging and cheering when it passed.

It was a sharp rebuke of Trump and his ally House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had led efforts to prevent disclosure. Johnson said he would "cross that bridge" when asked if he'd push Trump to veto the bill.

The president had warned House Republicans off the action but reversed course, fearing humiliation as he faced the largest rebellion of his presidency.

Once signed, the Justice Department has a month to dump its unclassified files online -- a searchable trove of transcripts, flight logs and communications that could unearth unseen names and connections.

The text makes only narrow exceptions for personal data and genuine legal and security concerns.

But analysts openly question whether officials will comply, or argue that sensitive material cannot be released because related probes remain active -- including a new investigation ordered by Trump last week into Epstein's ties with Democrats.

"If they have ongoing investigations in certain areas, those documents can't be released," Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who pushed the House vote, told ABC News.

"So this might be a big smoke screen, these investigations, to open a bunch of them as a last ditch effort to prevent the release of the Epstein files."

Massie accused Trump of "trying to protect a bunch of rich and powerful friends, billionaires, donors to his campaign, friends in his social circles."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed concerns, telling MS NOW there was "no reason to believe that they're going to behave in any kind of independent fashion."

S.Yamada--JT