House Democrats seek special prosecutor over Trump's Epstein ties, citing five women's accusations

A report and a request for a special prosecutor

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee published a report on Monday, 26 October, asking Attorney General Todd Blanche to appoint an independent special prosecutor. The request concerns the ties between President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The report says the prosecutor should investigate not only Trump but also all potential accomplices of Epstein. Sources differ on its length: Adnkronos describes a 53-page document, while 20 Minuten counts 50 pages. Democratic staff wrote the report, which the New York Times says largely cites allegations that were already public.

Jamie Raskin, the Democratic leader of the committee, presented the request and made the report's most explicit claim:

“Five women have directly accused Trump of rape or sexual assault in the company or presence of Epstein.”

These are accusations rather than findings. The report itself does not treat the allegations as proven, and the White House has not accepted them.

Claims about the Justice Department

The report accuses the Justice Department and the FBI of working to protect Trump instead of pursuing justice. It argues that the department is covering up Epstein's sex trafficking operations. Even so, the authors call an independent special prosecutor the minimum step needed. Democrats acknowledge that the department, led by Blanche, is very unlikely to take even that step. The report also describes Blanche as a former personal lawyer to Trump, which Democrats present as a reason for doubt about the department's independence.

Specific allegations in the report

According to the report, Trump was an active participant in Epstein's abuse of young women in the mid to late 1990s. It says Trump's account of throwing Epstein out of his Mar-a-Lago club conflicts with what he told his club manager and lawyers in a documented conversation, where he said Epstein was never asked to leave. The report cites a 2019 email that Epstein allegedly sent to journalist Michael Wolff, claiming Trump knew about the girls. It also says Trump called the Palm Beach police chief in 2006, expressed relief about the investigation and said everyone had known about Epstein's conduct. Flight logs allegedly show Trump aboard Epstein's private plane, although he has said he never flew on it. A birthday letter with a suggestive drawing and Trump's signature is disputed: Trump denies writing it, while Democrats point to other drawings and signed notes. These points are allegations, not proof of criminal conduct.

The White House and Trump's response

The White House rejects all of the allegations and calls the report politically motivated. Trump has repeatedly denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein's sex trafficking operation. He has acknowledged that he once knew Epstein well but says they had a significant falling out. Trump has not been charged with any crime related to the Epstein matter. During his presidential campaign he promised to release files on the case, but after taking office he resisted for a long time. Some files were published only under heavy public and congressional pressure, and critics say the redactions protect alleged accomplices as well as victims.

The midterm backdrop

The report arrives about a week before the midterm elections on 3 November. Trump is not on the ballot, but the midterms are widely seen as a referendum on his policies. The New York Times links the timing to Democrats' push to win control of Congress and their plans to investigate Trump should they win.