Washington: Survivors of financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network are set to attend US President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, in a move lawmakers say is intended to renew calls for wider investigations.
Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal said the survivors’ presence in the House gallery would underscore demands for action against individuals allegedly linked to Epstein’s crimes. She criticised the lack of broader prosecutions in the United States beyond those already concluded.
Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 of recruiting and grooming minor girls and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Despite the scale of allegations surrounding Epstein’s network, Maxwell remains the only person convicted in connection with the case in the US. Several prominent figures distanced themselves or resigned from positions after court documents revealed prior associations with Epstein following his 2008 conviction for sex offences.
Speaking at a press conference, survivor Lisa Phillips urged authorities in multiple countries to launch independent investigations into individuals named in documents released by the US Justice Department. She said anyone found to have engaged in wrongdoing should be held responsible.
Trump, whose name appears multiple times in publicly released records, has not been charged with any offence. He had earlier opposed the disclosure of certain files but later signed legislation mandating their release after it was passed by Congress.
The renewed push by survivors and lawmakers comes amid continuing scrutiny over whether all aspects of Epstein’s network have been fully investigated.