The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted Tuesday to force the release of Justice Department files on the late convicted sex offender Jeff-rey Eps-tein, ending months of opposition from President Donald Trump. The vote passed 427-1, sending a resolution to the Senate requiring all unclassified records on Eps-tein to be released. Survivors of Eps-tein’s alleged abuse and lawmakers from both parties had urged transparency, showing photographs of themselves from the ages when Eps-tein first targeted them.

Trump had socialized with Eps-tein in the 1990s and 2000s but called the attention on the matter a “Democratic hoax” and criticized media coverage. The decision marked a rare clash with some Republican supporters, with polls showing 44% approval on his handling of the issue, far below his overall approval rating.

Representative Thomas Massie, who led the push for the vote, argued it was time to “pull the Band-Aid off.” Speaker Kevin McCarthy had resisted the effort for months, but a discharge petition secured enough signatures to force a vote. Lawmakers, victims, and advocates stressed the importance of public access to the files for accountability and justice.