A lopsided congressional vote ordering release of the Jeffrey Epstein files was looming as soon as Tuesday after President Donald Trump abruptly changed his tune on the measure after months of stonewalling. With Trump’s support, it was unclear if any Republicans at all would vote against a bill that GOP leaders tenaciously fought against and stalled for months until it became clear they could not block it. Trump’s GOP allies were expected to follow his lead by reversing their previous staunch opposition to the bill, which he had derided as part of a “Democratic hoax” until flip-flopping on Sunday night. If the bill passes Tuesday, as now seems very likely, it would then head to the Senate, where it had been thought to face an very uncertain future before Trump’s reversal. Neither House Speaker Mike Johnson nor Senate Majority Leader John Thune immediately commented on the bill Monday after Trump’s surprise about-face. Johnson had previously parroted Trump’s claims that the Epstein push was a partisan ploy to embarrass the president. Democrats demanded immediate action in both chambers, calling the president’s switcheroo a reflection of the widespread bipartisan support for transparency around the Epstein case. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N. Y., the Democratic Senate leader, called on Trump to simply release all the documents without waiting for Congress to order him to do so. “Let’s make this easier. Just release the files now,” Schumer tweeted. Trump’s bowing to pressure over the Epstein scandal amounts to a rare example of him backing down in the face of opposition within the GOP. It could signal bigger political shifts on the horizon as he battles low approval ratings, a sagging economy and a potentially ugly political environment for the GOP heading toward next year’s crucial midterm congressional elections. WIth Republicans suffering sweeping losses in this month’s off-year elections and some polls suggesting a Democratic blue wave building, Trump may find it more difficult to force the normally fractious Republicans to bend to his will on a laundry list of political priorities. GOP lawmakers in swingy districts might feel compelled to distance themselves from Trump on issues like health care costs and tariffs in hopes of saving their own political skins. Democrats might be more emboldened to take firm stands against Trump after spending most of the first year of his second term playing defense. If Republicans were to lose control of the House in the 2026, it would effectively make Trump a lame duck leader for the remaining two years of his term. Dave Goldiner / New York Daily News _____ ©2025 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews. com.
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/17/lopsided-epstein-vote-looms-in-congress-as-trump-changes-tune/
