On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, President Donald Trump signed into law the long-awaited Epstein Files Transparency Act, setting in motion a 30-day countdown for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly release all its Jeffrey Epstein-related files. The move comes after months of political wrangling in Congress and marks a rare moment of near-unanimity: the House passed the bill on Tuesday by a staggering 427 to 1 vote, and the Senate followed suit with unanimous consent the next morning, according to CNN. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse, lawmakers from both parties, and transparency advocates hailed the act as a watershed moment in the ongoing quest for accountability in one of America’s most notorious criminal cases.
The president’s signature was announced via a social media post, where Trump framed the release of the files as a transparency effort he personally pushed through Congress. Not missing a beat, Trump seized the opportunity to criticize Democrats for their past associations with Epstein, stating, “Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged by the Trump Justice Department in 2019 (Not the Democrats!), was a lifelong Democrat, donated Thousands of Dollars to Democrat Politicians, and was deeply associated with many well-known Democrat figures.” He went on to list former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman among those with ties to Epstein.
Attorney General Pam Bondi responded to the new law by stating the DOJ “will continue to follow the law” in releasing the files, though she did not clarify the precise timing or scope of the release. Senators from both parties have insisted that the DOJ must comply fully and release the files within the mandated 30-day period. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters, “I trust the judgment of the Justice Department to ensure that whatever files they release protect the victims clearly, and I think there are other items, perhaps materials, that were acquired through grand jury trials that perhaps they will have to make some decisions about, but I think they’ll make the right decisions.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, though ultimately supportive, expressed disappointment that the Senate did not amend the bill as he had hoped. Still, Thune and Johnson presented a unified front, emphasizing that their goal was to work with the president to advance the interests of the American people. Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee, chaired by James Comer, continues its own investigation into Epstein, recently subpoenaing J.P. Morgan and Deutsche Bank for financial records and requesting documents from the US Virgin Islands Attorney General, as reported by CNN.
The passage of the bill was met with elation by survivors of Epstein’s abuse. Lisa Phillips and Sharlene Rochard described watching the congressional win as “amazing,” while Alicia Arden said she felt vindicated and as if a “weight lifted” for her. Another survivor, Danielle Bensky, recounted to CNN how she received word of the bill’s passage while attending a vigil: “They just passed it that fast. So I think that it’s an amazing act and it just shows what the American people can do.”
Yet, even as Congress celebrated this bipartisan achievement, the political climate remained fraught. The White House issued a travel/photo lid on Wednesday evening, signaling no further press access for the day and fueling speculation about the administration’s next moves. Fox News reported that Trump’s approval rating had fallen to a second-term low of 41%, with 46% of registered voters saying they have been personally hurt by his economic policies. Both the Democratic and Republican parties are suffering low favorability ratings, each polling at 39% among registered voters, and the public’s patience appears to be wearing thin on issues ranging from government shutdowns to health care costs.
Indeed, while the Epstein files dominated headlines, another ticking time bomb loomed over Washington: the expiration of federal subsidies for health care plans sold on the Affordable Care Act’s public exchanges. Without congressional action, millions of Americans could soon see their monthly premiums spike by hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. According to a report in The Independent, polls show declining trust in Trump and Republicans to manage the economy, with the affordability of health care once again shaping up to be a defining issue in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections.
Democrats, for their part, have seized the moment to press their advantage. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was unequivocal: “We insist on the — that the ACA tax credits have to be renewed and extended, period.” He dismissed a Republican proposal to replace the subsidies as “really problematic,” arguing that Democrats have the public’s backing on health care. Schumer added, “The issue of health care has been a dramatic cleavage between Democrats fighting to prevent these premiums from going up, and Republicans standing in the way. Even — we’ve seen this over and over again, the American people know we’re on their side, they know the Republicans are opposing them, and that’s going to serve us very well in 2026.”
Republicans, meanwhile, are caught in a familiar bind. Trump has dismissed the affordability crisis and opposed extending health care subsidies, instead championing direct payments to Americans—a plan that, as The Independent notes, stands little chance of passing Congress. The party’s internal divisions were on full display, with some in swing districts pushing for an extension of the subsidies to spare voters from financial pain, while others on the far right resist any move that could be seen as bolstering Obamacare. The specter of 2017 looms large, when Republicans’ failed attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act ended in chaos and humiliation.
Beyond the battles over transparency and health care, the week in Washington was marked by a flurry of high-profile events. President Trump announced a meeting with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, scheduled for Friday, November 21, to discuss public safety, economic security, and affordability—a meeting that comes after months of political sparring between the two leaders. Meanwhile, over 1,000 guests prepared to attend former Vice President Dick Cheney’s funeral at the National Cathedral, an event notable for the absence of both Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Cheney and his daughter Liz have been outspoken critics of Trump since the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, and their exclusion from the guest list was a pointed reminder of the ongoing rifts within the Republican Party.
Elsewhere, the fallout from the Epstein scandal continued to ripple through elite institutions. Former Harvard president Larry Summers was placed under investigation for his ties to Epstein following the release of tens of thousands of pages of documents by the House Oversight Committee. The university’s probe will also examine the roles of other affiliates, including Summers’ wife and nearly a dozen current and former Harvard staff, according to The Crimson.
As the nation waits for the DOJ to release the Epstein files—amid both hope for long-overdue answers and anxiety over potential political blowback—the episode serves as a stark reminder of how transparency, accountability, and the relentless churn of politics continue to shape the American story. For survivors, advocates, and lawmakers alike, the coming weeks may finally offer a measure of closure, or perhaps just the next chapter in a saga that has gripped the country for years.
