Today's News: Trump Appears to Reverse Course on Epstein Files, Claiming a “Democrat Hoax”
President Donald Trump abruptly reversed his stance, urging House Republicans to vote for the release of all Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, after months of opposition.
Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times
Overview
Date: November 16-17, 2025
Summary: President Donald Trump abruptly reversed his stance, urging House Republicans to vote for the release of all Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, after months of opposition. This shift followed a discharge petition gaining enough signatures to force a House vote and significant pressure from his base and some Republican lawmakers. Simultaneously, Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch an investigation into prominent Democrats linked to Epstein, framing the broader issue as a “Democrat Hoax” and a distraction. The events highlight both a rare capitulation by Trump to his base and his continued efforts to leverage the Justice Department for partisan investigations.
Sources
The New York Times - As Trump Looks for Distraction on Epstein, Justice Dept. Rushes to His Aid
CNN - Trump’s Epstein files capitulation betrays a rare weakness
The Washington Post - Trump says he would sign measure to release Epstein files if it comes to him
The Wall Street Journal - Trump Backs Vote to Release Epstein Files in Sharp Reversal
Fox News - House Republicans say Dems twisting Epstein probe to smear Trump in new memo
Key Points
President Trump reversed his long-held opposition to releasing all Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein, urging House Republicans to vote in favor of their release.
Trump justified his reversal by stating “we have nothing to hide” and framing the issue as a “Democrat Hoax” designed to distract from Republican successes.
Concurrently with his reversal, Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch an investigation into prominent Democrats, including Bill Clinton, who were named in Epstein documents.
The House vote on releasing the files was forced by a bipartisan discharge petition, led by Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, which garnered enough signatures to bypass House leadership.
The impending vote highlighted a political challenge for Trump, as many Republicans were expected to defy his earlier opposition to the files’ release.
Despite Trump’s reversal, the legislation still needs to pass the Senate and be signed into law.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
The House Oversight Committee has already released thousands of pages of Epstein-related documents, including some mentioning Trump.
Unique Highlights
The New York Times details Attorney General Pam Bondi’s swift response to Trump’s demand, noting only 217 minutes elapsed between his command and her announcement of a referral to the U.S. attorney in Manhattan. It also lists specific Democratic targets of the new investigation, including former Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers, venture capitalist Reid Hoffman, and a bank. The article also highlights the concern that this new investigation could provide a pretext for the Justice Department to refuse further file releases, and details other partisan investigations ordered by Trump, such as those against James B. Comey, Letitia James, and John O. Brennan.
CNN emphasizes that the Epstein files saga “punctured Trump’s aura of invincibility” within the MAGA movement and was a “massive unforced political error.” It notes polling data indicating that Americans disapprove of his administration’s handling of the files by a 3-to-1 margin and that 77% want all files released. The article also discusses the apparent fracturing of the MAGA base over issues like growing racism and antisemitism, concerns about “America First” agenda facets such as bailing out Argentina and threatening war with Venezuela, and Trump’s relationship with Big Tech.
NBC News mentions that Trump appointed Kash Patel and Dan Bongino to top FBI roles, both of whom had previously used their media platforms to characterize the Epstein case as part of a cover-up to protect powerful people. The article also includes a quote from a Clinton spokesperson stating the released emails “prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing” and that “the rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else.”
The Washington Post points out that Trump already possesses the authority to direct the Justice Department to release the documents without congressional action, citing his past actions with records related to the Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, but did not explain why he has not taken that step. It also notes Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s direct challenge to Trump on X, saying, “The vote is to compel YOU to release them. Let’s make this easier. Just release the files now.” The article also mentions a video released by the organization World Without Exploitation and plans for a news conference with Epstein survivors at the Capitol.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump personally reached out to Representatives Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace, summoning Boebert to the White House Situation Room with Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, in an attempt to flip her vote against the discharge petition. The article also mentions Trump’s personal attack on Representative Thomas Massie’s recent marriage on social media, to which Massie responded, “Carolyn blames me, she told me to invite Trump to the wedding and I didn’t.”
Fox News details an internal memo from House Oversight Committee Republicans accusing Democrats of intentionally mischaracterizing witness testimony and selectively releasing information with targeted redactions to create a false narrative about President Trump. The memo specifically accuses Democrats of redacting the name of late Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre and context about her allegations against Prince Andrew, and of failing to help the committee subpoena the Clintons for questioning.
Contrasting Details
Motivation for Trump’s Reversal: While all articles report Trump’s reversal, their interpretations of his motivation differ. CNN portrays it as a “capitulation” and a sign of “rare weakness” due to pressure from his base. The New York Times suggests it was driven by “facing all-but-certain defeat on Capitol Hill” and a need to deflect from his own suggested knowledge of Epstein’s abuse. The Wall Street Journal states it was to avoid “a potential embarrassment” from dozens of Republicans breaking with him. NBC News and Fox Newsquote Trump’s own justification of “nothing to hide” and moving on from a “Democrat Hoax.”
Impact of New DOJ Investigation on File Release: The New York Times and The Washington Post raise concerns that Trump’s new directive for the Justice Department to investigate Democrats linked to Epstein could provide a pretext for the Justice Department to refuse to release further files, claiming disclosures could harm ongoing inquiries. CNN acknowledges this possibility but adds that it would be “hard for even the president’s allies not to see through that,” given the Justice Department’s prior statement in July that there was no “evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
Partisan Framing of the Epstein Probe: Fox News provides a detailed account of an internal memo from House Oversight Committee Republicans, which explicitly accuses Democrats of politicizing the investigation, intentionally mischaracterizing testimony, and selectively releasing/redacting information to smear President Trump. This contrasts with other articles like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal which generally describe the broader bipartisan push for transparency but acknowledge the partisan infighting and Trump’s use of the Justice Department for partisan investigations, without directly echoing the Republican memo’s specific accusations against Democrats’ handling of evidence.
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