Trump signs: Epstein documents to be released to the public

Following the US Congress's approval of a bill mandating the public release of documents prepared regarding billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of establishing a sex trafficking network involving underage girls and was found dead in prison, US President Donald Trump made new statements on the matter.

In a message posted on his social media platform, Truth, Trump recalled that Epstein was officially charged in 2019 during his first presidential term, not during the Democrats' tenure. In his post, Trump stated, "Epstein was a Democrat his whole life. He donated thousands of dollars to Democratic politicians." Claiming that Epstein had close relationships with prominent Democratic politicians, including Bill Clinton, Trump said, "The truth about the Democrats and their connections to Jeffrey Epstein may soon come to light; because I just signed the law regarding the release of the Epstein files!"

Stating that the bill regulating the public release of the documents passed both chambers of Congress at his request, Trump said, "The Department of Justice, under my direction, has already delivered approximately 50 thousand pages of documents to Congress."

ACCUSATIONS FROM TRUMP AGAINST BIDEN AND DEMOCRATS

Trump alleged that during the term of his predecessor Joe Biden, "not a single file or page regarding the Democrat Epstein was delivered," and that his administration avoided talking about the issue. In his statement, Trump claimed, "The Democrats used the 'Epstein' issue, which affected them much more than the Republican Party, to overshadow our tremendous successes."

Arguing that the country faced many "witch hunts" and "hoaxes" during the Biden era, Trump said, "All of these were extremely harmful and divisive for our country; they were done to overshadow the extraordinary work done by the Republicans and the Trump administration and to distract attention." Describing the allegations regarding Epstein as a "hoax" directed at him, Trump stated, "This latest hoax will backfire on the Democrats just like the others."

THE EPSTEIN CASE

US billionaire Epstein was arrested after appearing in federal court in New York on July 6, 2019, on charges of establishing a sex trafficking network involving underage girls between 2002 and 2005. Epstein died in the prison where he was being held on August 10, 2019, and his cause of death was announced as suicide.

Allegations that Trump knew Epstein was involved in sex trafficking had long been a source of controversy. Trump initially denied these allegations, saying that he and Epstein had been friends in the past but later had a falling out. Describing the Epstein files as "dirty and boring," Trump had claimed that the issue was a "hoax" brought up by the Democrats.

LEGISLATIVE PROCESS

Following increasing public pressure, Trump had called on Republican Party members to support the release of the Epstein documents and said, "We have nothing to hide." The bill was passed in the Senate following the House of Representatives, and it was announced that the bill, which passed both chambers of Congress, would become law with Trump's signature.

News Source: İHA