Updated September 2, 2025 at 12:28 PM CDT
As members of Congress return to Washington, they'll face continued public demand for the release of files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
President Trump and his administration have been unable to shake public scrutiny after the Department of Justice announced in early July that an incriminating "client list" of rich and powerful Epstein associates does not exist — backtracking on statements made by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in February. During the presidential campaign, Trump also said he would be open to releasing files related to Epstein.
Now, Congress has a chance to consider the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act — co-sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif. The measure would require the release of unclassified files the government has related to Epstein. The resolution was introduced in July and prompted House Speaker Mike Johnson to send members home early for recess.
Releasing the files is "a way to bring the country together," Khanna said in an interview with Morning Edition.
"A nation that cannot hold accountable rich and powerful men who have abused young girls is a nation that has lost its moral and spiritual bearings," Khanna said. "We have an opportunity to do something in a nonpartisan way to seek justice for these victims."
Khanna and Massie plan to circulate a discharge petition that requires 218 signatures to bypass House leadership and force a vote on their bill. They also plan to appear with Epstein survivors on Capitol Hill on Wednesday.
Speaking to NPR's Leila Fadel, Khanna discussed the continued push for transparency on the Epstein controversy.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights
Leila Fadel: We heard Speaker Mike Johnson say your discharge petition is reckless and that it would harm victims. What do you say to that?
Rep. Ro Khanna: The petition is about restoring trust in government. It protects victims identity. It's simply calling for the release of all of the Epstein files to hold rich and powerful men who abused underage girls accountable. I have worked with [House Democratic Leader Hakeem] Jeffries. We are very confident that we will have all 212 Democrats sign the discharge petition. And I'm working closely with Congressman Thomas Massie. We have 12 Republicans who have co-sponsored it, and we're very confident that we will get over six Republicans to sign it. That will force a full vote in the House.
Fadel: And then what happens in the Senate if it passes? Are you confident that they'll also pass the bill?
Khanna: Well, I'm never confident that the Senate does anything, but I am hopeful that the Senate will move. But the reality of the situation is that if the House passes this, it will be such strong political pressure on the president to release the full files. We have 10 victims on Wednesday speaking out for the first time, and that is going to be explosive. The American people are going to hear their stories, which haven't been told before. That, combined with the House moving, I think will force the president's hand and the attorney general's hand to release the files.
Fadel: And what will their main public message be, these victims who are holding a press conference with you later this week?
Khanna: Well, I have spoken to their lawyer. I have not spoken directly to them, but they are going to talk about the abuse that they faced. They're going to talk about how people other than Epstein and [Ghislaine] Maxwell were involved. And most importantly, they're going to say that for closure, for them, for justice, they want to see the full release of the files. And the reality is, this is not partisan. What has gotten lost in all of this is the story of victims. Their stories have not been told for over a decade. It goes well before Donald Trump. This country has basically discarded them. We haven't heard from them. I'm really proud of them. They're going to be on the steps of the Capitol Wednesday morning and the whole country is finally going to get to hear from them.
Fadel: Now, you say it's not partisan and this has angered a lot of the president's base who want the release of these files. But there are also accusations that you as a Democrat are playing politics, seeing this as an opportunity to chip away at the president's credibility.
Khanna: That's just not true. Look, we have a Marjorie Taylor Greene, who may join the press conference and who has co-sponsored the bill. We have Lauren Boebert, who has co-sponsored the bill. Tim Burchett who has co-sponsored the bill. Jim Comer, the House oversight chair, is saying that we need the full release of the files. So these are some of the leading supporters of MAGA.
Fadel: You've said the Justice Department is stonewalling and the House Oversight Committee is already reviewing some material it subpoenaed from the DOJ. What would this bill do that the current process isn't doing?
Khanna: Currently, we have a House oversight subpoena in the Justice Department. There are 300 gigabits of files. We know this from the FBI's public statements. They have released one gigabit. That means they've released less than 1%. Of the less than 1% they have released, 97% of that is already in the public domain. So the bottom line is they've released almost nothing. This would force actual release of the files.
Fadel: Three judges refused to unseal testimony in the grand jury investigation. The judges argued that releasing the materials wouldn't contribute to public knowledge. What did you make of that decision and what's different about what you're trying to do?
Khanna: Well, I respect the judge's decision, but there are files much more than the grand jury. The grand jury applies to Epstein and Maxwell. What we're much more interested in is the financial transactions that were involved and many of the other rich and powerful men who were involved. And that is what we want released: the memos, the witness interviews. And we want to protect victims at the same time.
This digital article was edited by Treye Green. The radio version was edited by Alice Woelfle and produced by Vince Pearson and Nia Dumas.
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