(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump said on Monday (November 17) that he would sign a bill requiring the release of Justice Department files on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein if it passes both the House and the Senate.

“Sure I would,” Trump said from the Oval Office in response to a reporter's question.“Let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it. But don't talk about it too much, because honestly I don't want to take it away from us. It's really a Democrat problem.”

House vote expected on Tuesday

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is expected to vote as early as Tuesday (November 18) to force the release of the investigative files. Passage is widely anticipated after a discharge petition garnered the required 218 signatures last week, including four Republicans.

Trump acknowledged saying he had "nothing to do" with Epstein and telling lawmakers, "All I want is for people to recognize the great job that I've done. And I hate to see that deflect from the great job that we've done. So I'm all for it."

Trump reverses position amid GOP pressure

Until the weekend, Trump had actively lobbied against further release of Epstein-related DOJ files. The President's shift follows mounting Republican support for the measure, illustrating rare defiance.

Also Read | Bill Clinton's team dismisses Trump's Epstein probe push as 'noise' Epstein and Maxwell cases

Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy New York financier, was convicted on state and federal charges for sexual abuse and trafficking of minors. He died in a federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, ruled a suicide. Epstein's former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted of sex trafficking and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Trump has repeatedly stated that he ended his friendship with Epstein in the 2000s and denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes.

"House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide," Trump wrote on social media Sunday night.

Trump accuses political opponents of smear campaign

Trump has claimed that political opponents are trying to smear him by linking him to Epstein's crimes. Emails released by a House committee suggested Epstein believed Trump "knew about the girls," though the White House maintains these contain no proof of wrongdoing.

Trump has also instructed the DOJ to investigate prominent Democrats' connections to Epstein.

Also Read | Epstein survivors demand release of all files in emotional video: 'It's time...'

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