Victims linked to the Jeffrey Epstein case attended United States President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in Washington, calling for further investigations and accountability related to Epstein’s sex trafficking network.
Several survivors were present in the House gallery on Tuesday as lawmakers raised concerns about the scope of legal action taken in the United States following Epstein’s arrest and death. Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington state, said at a press conference that the presence of survivors during the address underscored their demand for accountability.
“Today the world will see Donald Trump have to face these survivors right there in the House gallery,” Pramila Jayapal said. She added that while individuals in other countries had faced arrest in connection with related matters, no new investigations had been announced in the United States into others allegedly connected to Epstein’s activities.
Jeffrey Epstein died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. To date, Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, is the only individual convicted in the United States in connection with the case. She was sentenced in 2021 to 20 years in prison for facilitating the abuse of minor girls.
Lisa Phillips, who identified herself as an Epstein victim, called for broader independent investigations into individuals named in documents released by the US Justice Department. She said authorities should examine all alleged connections and pursue accountability where evidence supports legal action.
Several public figures have faced scrutiny after court documents and previously sealed files were made public, though no additional criminal convictions have followed in the United States beyond Maxwell.
Donald Trump, whose name appears in some of the publicly released documents, has not been charged with any wrongdoing. He previously opposed the release of certain Epstein-related files but later signed legislation passed by Congress mandating their publication.
The developments add a political dimension to the long-running legal and public debate surrounding the Epstein case, as lawmakers continue to call for transparency and institutional accountability within the US justice system.
