The House Oversight Committee on Nov. 12 released more than 20,000 pages of records from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate alongside three emails Democrats highlighted that reference Donald Trump. The messages, first publicized by Democrats and followed by a larger GOP document dump, do not prove wrongdoing by the president but include Epstein’s claim that Trump “knew about the girls.” A bipartisan discharge petition led by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie reached the 218 signatures required after Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn in on Nov. 12, triggering a forthcoming House vote to require release of all unclassified Justice Department records related to Epstein.
The committee’s release, which Republicans said totaled more than 20,000 pages, came hours after Democrats publicized three redacted emails that mention Donald Trump. Republicans dismissed the Democratic release as selective, while the White House called it a smear and said Democrats “selectively leaked” material to create a false narrative. Trump, in a Truth Social post, argued Democrats were deflecting from the recently ended government shutdown and urged Republicans not to support additional disclosures.
Key emails
• 2011: Epstein emailed Ghislaine Maxwell calling Trump “the dog that hasn’t barked,” adding that an unnamed victim had “spent hours at my house with him.” Democrats did not identify the victim; the White House later asserted it was Virginia Giuffre. Time noted it could not independently verify the redacted name. Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, had previously testified that Trump did not engage in sexual activity with her and that she did not recall seeing him at Epstein’s properties; she said she first met Trump at Mar-a-Lago in 2000.
• 2015 and 2019: Emails between Epstein and author Michael Wolff show Wolff discussing how Epstein might leverage questions about Trump. In one December 2015 exchange, Wolff wrote that Epstein should “let him hang himself” if Trump denied visiting Epstein’s plane or home. In a January 2019 note, Epstein wrote that “of course he knew about the girls as he asked ghislaine to stop,” also referencing Trump’s claim that he pushed Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago years earlier. Trump has long said he severed ties with Epstein and barred him from the club.
• 2015: In a separate thread with then–New York Times reporter Landon Thomas Jr., Epstein offered “photos of donald and girls in bikinis in my kitchen,” and described Trump nearly walking into a glass door while watching young women swim. It is unclear whether such photos exist or were ever sent.
Additional correspondence in the newly released files shows Epstein deriding Trump in notes to former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, including a 2017 message saying there was “not one decent cell” in Trump’s body and calling him dangerous.
Hill reaction and next steps
Democrats amplified the three Trump-referencing emails, while Republicans posted the wider cache and argued there was “no there there.” Outside Congress, reactions also split: People magazine and other outlets published the key passages, while conservative commentators and the White House emphasized Giuffre’s prior statements clearing Trump of wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, momentum grew to compel broader transparency from the executive branch. A bipartisan discharge petition by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) secured the 218 signatures needed when Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.) was sworn in on Nov. 12 after weeks of delay during the shutdown. Under House rules, a floor vote can be scheduled after a seven-legislative-day waiting period; leaders now anticipate consideration after the Thanksgiving recess. The measure would require the Justice Department to release all unclassified Epstein-related records, with redactions to protect victims and ongoing matters, and would still need Senate approval. Trump has urged Republicans to oppose the effort.
Boebert meeting
As the petition neared the threshold, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) met with White House officials about the files; she later posted that they were “committed to ensuring transparency.” Press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the meeting as evidence of transparency. News outlets reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel were among the officials involved. Boebert kept her signature on the petition.
Context
Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said he expelled him from Mar-a-Lago years ago. Giuffre’s prior sworn testimony stated she did not see Trump engage in sexual misconduct and did not remember him at Epstein properties. Epstein died by suicide in federal custody in 2019.
What’s unresolved
The new emails add color to Epstein’s private commentary but leave key questions unanswered, including the scope of unreleased federal records and how much new information they contain. House leaders have not yet set a precise vote date, and the Senate’s posture remains uncertain.