427 to 1 - and a lone Trump loyalist stands against the release of the Epstein files - The vote is a catastrophe for Trump

The US Congress sent a clear signal on Tuesday. With 427 to 1 votes, the House of Representatives approved the release of the Epstein file. A rare moment of bipartisan unity - and at the same time a political thunderclap in a week in which the debate over Epstein’s network is already burning intensely. The only no vote came from Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana, a fervent Trump supporter and chairman of the very subcommittee that had itself initiated a subpoena of the Justice Department for Epstein’s records. The fact that he, of all people, voted against it raises questions. Why would the man who wanted to see the files now oppose their release?

The vote was preceded by a heated debate in which some Republicans tried to shift the focus onto Democrats - but the facts, the political dynamics, and the public pressure were overwhelming. The fact that the chamber ultimately voted almost unanimously for transparency shows how strong the will for clarification has become.

For Trump, however, the result is more than a setback. His own allies are pushing the release forward, and the political consequences could still be significant. The question of who knew what - and who protected whom - is now closer than ever. The 427 to 1 votes today are not just about documents. They mark a turning point. And they show that even in a polarized Washington, some truths weigh so heavily that they can bring the ranks crashing down.