What’s in the Epstein files? Trump’s alleged involvement fuels political storm

US president Donald Trump may feature in the case files of notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

American media outlet The Wall Street Journal released the story that the US president was told about his name in the files by the US Attorney General in May after a federal court in the state of Florida blocked the US Justice Department’s bid Wednesday to unseal grand jury documents related to Epstein. Trump threatened a lawsuit against the media outlet and its owner Rupert Murdoch.

The Epstein case has shaken US politics over the past days, with parts of Trump's most loyal fans demanding more transparency from the White House and a release of files related to the Epstein sex trafficking case.

Trump has attempted to distract from the topic by releasing a number of files on unrelated cases, such as the assassination of Martin Luther King, and attacking political rivals such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, accusing them of "treason" without providing evidence.

A subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight voted Wednesday to subpoena the Department of Justice for files in the sex trafficking investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

Three Republicans on the panel voted with Democrats for the subpoena, sending it through on an 8-2 vote tally. Republican subcommittee chairman, Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana, said that work to draft the subpoena was beginning.

The vote came just hours before the House was scheduled to end its July work session and depart Washington for a monthlong break. House Speaker Mike Johnson has adjourned Major business in the House ahead of Congress’ August recess to avoid contentious votes on Epstein-related matters as the President Donald Trump 's administration faces intense public pressure to release more information about the sexual predator.

Earlier Wednesday, a judge rejected the Justice Department's request to unseal transcripts from grand jury investigations of Epstein years ago in Florida, saying the request doesn’t meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that could make them public.

A similar records request is still pending in New York.