A person holds a sign asking "Where are the the Epstein files?" during the No Kings Rally in Sheboygan, on Oct. 18, 2025.

President Donald Trump announced that he signed a bill on Nov. 19 that compels the Justice Department to release all files linked to the disgraced financier and indicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump made the announcement, claiming that the growing demand for transparency on Epstein's relationships with the rich and powerful, including the president himself, was the "latest Hoax (sic)" created by Democrats. He pointed to high-profile Democrats connected to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019, including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

A pair of lawmakers, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, championed the legislation as Trump's initial opposition to the bill drew backlash from members of his own party, most notably Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

By a vote of 427-1, the House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The Senate followed suit about three hours later when Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced a motion for unanimous consent.

Here's what to know about when the Epstein files may be released:

Now that Trump signed the Epstein files bill, what happens next?

It is uncertain when exactly the Justice Department will release materials.

The Justice Department has 30 days to publicize "all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" from the investigation into Epstein, according to the legislation. The files must be released to the public in a "searchable and downloadable format."

Certain information can be withheld, including the identity of victims, "child sexual materials," and anything that might jeopardize an ongoing investigation, according to the bill. Attorney General Pam Bondi is required to provide to Congress a summary of redactions made and legal justifications for withholding information.

“We'll continue to follow the law with maximum transparency while protecting victims,” Bondi said Nov. 19.

Days before Trump called on House Republicans to vote to release the Epstein files, he ordered the Justice Department to launch an investigation into Democrats linked to Epstein. Ty Cobb, a White House lawyer during Trump's first term, said in an interview with CNN that he believes Bondi will cite the ongoing investigations as a reason not to release the files.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Nov. 19 that the "clear intent" from the House and Senate is to "get the information out there" after both chambers voted overwhelmingly for the bill.

Contributing: Melina Khan and Joey Garrison, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will the DOJ release the Epstein files? What to know after Trump signed the bill.

Reporting by James Powel and Michael Loria, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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