Luke Garrett

But again, Trump's endorsement of the bill does not hurt, and Thune has said in the last few weeks he likes this idea of greater transparency.

But even if it passes through Congress and the White House, lawmakers Massey and Khanna were warning yesterday that the files might still be kept from the public.

So after all that, how could that be possible?

Well, Massey and Khanna raised alarm over the new Justice Department investigation into the Epstein case, something it declined to do a few months back.

Trump referenced this in his post last night.

He said his DOJ is, quote, looking at various Democrat operatives, Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman, Larry Summers, etc., and their relationships to Epstein, end quote.

Massey told ABC News that these investigations could mask the documents further.

If they have ongoing investigations in certain areas, those documents can't be released.

So this might be a big smokescreen.

The Justice Department has not yet responded to my request for comment on whether an investigation would in fact bar them from releasing these documents, even if a law told them to do so.

That's NPR's Luke Garrett.

Luke, thanks a lot.

Republican Representative Thomas Massey of Kentucky helped gather the 218 signatures needed to force the vote.

On ABC News, Massey cautions his fellow Republicans that this ballot record will live on beyond President Trump.

Trump called Massey a loser.

Trump called Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene a traitor on Saturday after reneging his endorsement for the Georgia lawmaker.

Greene tells CNN she now fears for her safety.

Green says Trump is attacking her because she supports releasing the Epstein files.

She also criticized Trump's foreign policy agenda.

Last week, Trump said he knows the MAGA movement best and that Green is lashing out because he didn't support her statewide political ambitions, which Green denies.