House Republicans Block Epstein Files Release

The latest attempt by House Democrats to force a vote on releasing files related to the disgraced, late financier Jeffrey Epstein failed on Tuesday.

Democrats unsuccessfully urged the chamber to oppose a routine procedural vote — known as the motion on ordering the previous question — since failure would have triggered a vote on Rep. Ro Khanna’s (D-Calif.) amendment requiring Attorney General Pam Bondi to preserve, compile and publish the Epstein files.

The Epstein files have been a source of controversy in Washington — especially the Republican Party — in recent days, with the MAGA base demanding its disclosure while President Trump directs those in his party to drop the matter.

The vote on the motion ordering the previous question is almost always a routine, party-line vote, with members of the majority party voting in favor and those in the minority party voting in opposition. It represents a last-chance effort for members in the minority to try and force consideration of certain legislation.

In the end, Republicans united and supported the procedural vote, bringing the final tally to 211-210 along party lines — clearing the majority threshold that Democrats were hoping to avoid.

Democrats had framed the procedural vote as a referendum on whether Republicans want the Epstein files to be released, or whether they would fall in line with Trump’s request.

“Republicans spent years screaming for the Epstein Files to be released. Now Donald Trump wants to hide them. Today, every R can vote to release the files. Will they give the American people transparency or block the truth to protect Trump?” Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) wrote on X.

Rep. Jim McGovern (Mass.), the top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, attempted a similar gambit on Monday night, forcing a vote in committee on staging a floor vote on Khanna’s amendment. That effort, however, failed 4-8, though Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) notably voted in favor. He was the only GOP vote in support.

Despite the GOP conference’s united opposition to triggering a vote on Khanna’s amendment, the party is divided over the Epstein files. Some hardline conservatives, particularly those close to the MAGA base, are furious with the administration’s handling of the files and want them to be made public, breaking with Trump’s plea that the party drops the conversation.

“I would just like the files to be turned over,” Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said Tuesday morning.

Others, however, are deferring to the administration.

“I’m confident that they’ve been looked at and that, quite frankly, a fairly controversial assessment, that there isn’t a there there, that in spite of many of the things that are believed by my own base weren’t true,” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said. “I trust the people who reported it to us and who looked at them.”