However, on November 19 he caved to pressure from Congress, including from his Republican Party, and signed a law compelling release of the materials.
It remains to be seen how many of the extensive files will see the light of day, with the authorities likely to cite the need to protect ongoing investigations.
Epstein, a successful financier, cultivated rich and powerful friends, and frequently hosted them at his lavish Caribbean home.
He was convicted in 2008 on two sex crime counts, including solicitation of prostitution with a minor.
He served only about a year in detention with unusually lenient conditions. He then avoided more serious charges until 2019 when he was arrested and charged with sex trafficking of minors.
He died in pre-trial detention in New York the same year and the death was ruled to be a suicide.
Trump and his allies spent years pushing theories about powerful Democrats being protected over involvement with Epstein, framing the case as a potent symbol of how rich men can hide behind lawyers, money and connections.
But Trump himself was a longtime friend of Epstein, raising questions over what he knew about the notorious figure.
After starting his second presidential term in January, Trump switched from having called for release of the investigative files on Epstein to calling the scandal a "hoax" and resisting any release.
