There is growing expectation that many Republican House members will vote in favor of a bill to release the documents of the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which is set for a vote in the U.S. House this week. President Donald Trump publicly warned by branding Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), who has led the petition to release the Epstein files, a ‘traitor’, but when that had little effect, he reversed course and argued, “To break free from the ‘Democratic hoax’, the House should vote to release the Epstein documents.”

CBS reported on the 16th that House Republican leaders are pushing to hold a vote on the Epstein documents release bill on the 18th (local time). The bill urges the Justice Department to disclose all information related to the Epstein investigation in its possession.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) said in an interview with ABC that “more than 100 Republican members could vote to release the Epstein documents despite opposition from President Trump.” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California), who co-sponsored the petition with Massie, offered a more conservative estimate, saying “at least 40 Republicans are likely to support the bill.”

Despite Trump warning of retaliation, many Republicans are still expected to vote yes because, with next year’s midterm elections approaching, it is difficult to go against voter demands. A September poll found that 77% of respondents wanted all materials released on the condition that the names of victims be redacted.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, told Fox News that, although he did not provide specific numbers, “a lot of yes votes will come in the vote this week.” Johnson, who has the authority to bring measures to the floor, initially refused to hold a vote, but failed to block it after the number of members signing a petition to force the bill onto the floor reached a majority.

However, even if the bill passes the House, it is uncertain whether it can clear the Senate. Senate Republican Leader John Thune has declined to give a definitive answer on whether to bring the Epstein documents to a vote. Even if it passes both the House and the Senate, a presidential veto by Trump awaits. Overriding a veto requires two-thirds support in both chambers, which is unlikely.

On the night of the 16th, President Trump posted on social media, saying “we have nothing to hide” and urging, “To break free from the ‘Democratic hoax’ spread by radical left zealots, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein documents,” a sudden shift interpreted as a view that the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate.

Regardless of whether the bill passes, the mere fact that it has been brought to a House vote is already dealing a major blow to President Trump. House members backing the bill plan to hold a press conference with Epstein victims in front of the U.S. Capitol on the 18th. They are asking President Trump to meet the women in person.

Rep. Greene, who led the push with Massie to pass the petition to release the Epstein documents and was branded a “traitor” by President Trump, told CNN, “Even though all the Epstein victims say President Trump did nothing wrong, I cannot understand why he is so opposed to releasing the documents.” She added, “Because of President Trump’s ‘traitor’ label, my life could be in danger,” while also saying, “I will keep working to make the Epstein documents public.”