Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s surprise effort to force release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein survived a procedural attempt to kill it after two Senate Republicans joined Democrats in opposing a motion to table the measure.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., moved to table the amendment Schumer announced he planned to offer to the National Defense Authorization Act, which Schumer said would require Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all files and documents related to Epstein. The tabling motion failed when Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted with Senate Democrats against it, leaving the amendment pending on the floor.
Schumer told reporters his proposed amendment amounted to the Senate-side equivalent of a House discharge petition being pushed by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif. "There's been so much lying, obfuscation, cover-ups," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "The American people need to see everything that's in the Epstein files. And my amendment would make that happen."
A Senate Republican source described Schumer’s move as "an extremely hostile act," saying it risked jeopardizing bipartisan negotiations over the annual defense bill and talks to find a compromise on a government funding extension ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline. The dispute came amid broader Senate tensions over confirmation fights, with Republicans weighing a rules change to overcome Democratic holds on nominees.
The push for disclosure in Congress intensified this week after a card from what has been described as Jeffrey Epstein’s "birthday book" was sent to the House Oversight Committee by the Epstein estate and publicly revealed. The Wall Street Journal first reported that a card in the collection contained a message and a drawing and appeared to bear President Donald Trump’s signature. The White House has denied the card’s authenticity and disputed that the handwriting or signature was Trump’s.
Senate debate over the Epstein materials has been less pronounced than the months-long fight in the House, though Democrats have moved at times to force votes and use floor time to press the issue. Schumer said his amendment would effect the same outcome as a House discharge petition and repeatedly framed the disclosure effort as an issue of public accountability.
Schumer also criticized the Trump administration in his remarks, saying there had been "lies" and "cover-up" about the matter and urging Republicans to back the disclosure. Republicans countered that the surprise procedural move could derail sensitive negotiations taking place among lawmakers on defense and spending priorities.
With the tabling motion defeated, the amendment remains before the Senate as lawmakers continue to negotiate the NDAA and broader federal funding. It was not immediately clear when the amendment would be debated or voted on, and Senate leaders from both parties said they were still pursuing discussions to resolve competing priorities on the bill and avert a government shutdown.