Last week, Donald Trump was calling Republican House members who had signed the discharge petition (requiring a vote on release of the Epstein files) and trying to pressure them to remove their names from the petition. It was his desperate last ditch effort to block the vote, and made it perfectly clear that he did not want the entirety of those files released. Why? Most likely because it would embarrass him.
He failed. And it became clear that not only would a vote happen, but many Republicans would vote for the petition making it easily pass.
That would have been humiliating for Trump. So, to avoid that humiliation, he flip-flopped on the issue. He told Republicans they should vote for the petition. Then he went further and said he would sign it into law once it reached his desk (as it became clear the Senate would also likely pass it).
Trump is now trying to pose as a champion of releasing the files (after years of opposing their release). Don't believe it. Trump is still opposed to releasing all of the Epstein files. He just knows he can't stop the petition from passing - and he doesn't want to be the person who vetoes it (since most of his MAGA supporter want them released).
But don't be fooled. Donald Trump will NEVER release ALL of the Epstein files. If he wanted the files released, he already has the power to do that. All he has to do is tell AG Bondi to release them.
But he doesn't want that. How will he avoid doing it once the release petition becomes law?
You must realize that Trump doesn't care about the law. He has been a lawbreaker most of his adult life, and doing it one more time will not bother him in the least.
He will release a lot of the files. And he will claim that is all of them - but it won't be. Anything in those files that make him look bad will be withheld. And his sycophants (Bondi and Patel) will lie for him and claim everything was released. And the remaining DOJ and FBI employees, knowing they would be instantly fired if they even hint at the truth will keep their mouths shut.
Trump will never release all the files - and the public is unlikely to know that until his presidency is over (if ever).
The Tuesday vote in the House was nothing more than an interesting bit of political theater to make the Republicans look better. But it does not mean all of the files will be released. Trump does what he want - whether it is legal or not.
