What comes next after Congress votes to release the Epstein files

Amna Nawaz:

Welcome to the "News Hour."

Two major stories tonight from the nation's capital. At the White House, President Trump welcomed the leader of Saudi Arabia. That's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. And, on Capitol Hill, Congress approved a measure requiring the release of the Epstein files.

Congressional correspondent Lisa Desjardins begins our coverage.

Lisa Desjardins:

A rare nearly unanimous House vote to release the Epstein files, significant especially for one group.

Jena-Lisa Jones, Jeffrey Epstein Survivor:

This was me at 14 years old. I was a child.

Woman:

This is me at 16.

Woman:

This was me at 17 years old.

Woman:

I was 16 and she was 25. That's how old we were when we were abused by Epstein and Maxwell.

Lisa Desjardins:

Survivors of Epstein's abuse came in person to urge passage of the measure.

Jena-Lisa Jones:

We are here as American survivors of a man who used his wealth and power to hurt young girls and women. The world should see the files to know who Jeffrey Epstein was and how the system catered to him and failed us.

Lisa Desjardins:

The bill forces the Justice Department to release Epstein file documents within 30 days. It includes protections for the personal information of survivors and allows the attorney general to block information that could harm current specific investigations.

Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA):

We have to do it in the right way.

Lisa Desjardins:

House Speaker Mike Johnson voted yes, despite saying he didn't like the measure, and charging that Democrats had political motives.

Rep. Mike Johnson:

They're using that as a political weapon to try to distract from their failures as a party and to try their best to try to tie President Trump somehow into this wretched scandal.

Lisa Desjardins:

But as he and President Trump realized large numbers of Democrats and Republicans backed this, Trump dramatically reversed himself on the bill, saying yesterday he would sign it.

President Donald Trump:

Sure I would. Let the — let the Senate look at it. Let anybody look at it.

Lisa Desjardins:

Survivors criticized Mr. Trump directly today for his long opposition to the bill and for calling their case a hoax.

Haley Robson, Jeffrey Epstein Survivor:

I am traumatized. I am not stupid. I am traumatized. I am not stupid. You have put us through so much stress, the lockdowns, the halt of these procedures that were supposed to have happened 50 days ago, and then get upset when your own party goes against you, because what is being done is wrong. It's not right.

Lisa Desjardins:

Today, as he sat with the visiting Saudi crown prince, ABC News asked President Trump:

Question:

Mr. President, why wait for Congress to release the Epstein files? Why not just do it now?

Donald Trump:

As far as the Epstein files is, I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert.

Lisa Desjardins:

ABC asked a series of questions on the Trump family businesses and the crown prince, and Trump ultimately issued a vague threat.

Donald Trump:

I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it's so wrong.

Lisa Desjardins:

This is the latest in a week of defiant and sharp comments from the president.

Donald Trump:

I know nothing about that.

Lisa Desjardins:

Including Friday on Air Force One, when a different reporter asked about Epstein.

Question:

Sir, why not — why not…

Donald Trump:

Quiet. Quiet, piggy.

Lisa Desjardins:

Trump has asked the attorney general to launch an investigation into Epstein's relationships with other people who knew him, naming high-ranking Democrats like former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

E-mails have shown Summers flew with Epstein and kept close with him for years. And last night Summers told The Harvard Crimson — quote — "I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused." And he added — quote — "I will be stepping back from public commitments."

Today, another Democrat was also forced to answer questions.

Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI):

I got a text from Jeffrey Epstein.

Lisa Desjardins:

Virgin Islands Delegate Stacey Plaskett.

Last week, The Washington Post found that Jeffrey Epstein, a donor to her campaigns, texted her a question to ask in a Trump-related hearing. And she did. Today, House Republicans pushed to censure Plaskett and remove her from the Intelligence Committee.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC):

She made a mistake here, a bad mistake. She took advice from a convicted pedophile.

Lisa Desjardins:

Democrats decried a lack of due process and Plaskett defended her actions.

As the Epstein fallout continues, the bill to release the Epstein files now is in Senate hands.

And this evening, the Senate has already taken action. Using a rare procedure, senators unanimously decided that, once they get this bill, it will be considered as if they have already passed it. So, essentially, right now, senators are waiting technically for the bill to move over across the Capitol.

But, basically, all of Congress has now gotten on board this. And this bill will make it to the president by tomorrow — Amna.

Amna Nawaz:

Lisa, thank you.