The US justice department has agreed to release the Epstein files to a key congressional committee.

James Comer, the chairman of the House oversight committee, said Attorney General Pam Bondi had agreed to hand over government documents on Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier, starting on Friday.

Donald Trump, the US president, has previously refused to release the files despite coming under intense pressure from his own supporters.

However, in a rare sign of congressional pushback against the president, the Republican-led oversight committee this month issued a subpoena for “all documents and communications relating or referring to” Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

It had set a deadline for Tuesday, but Mr Comer announced he would delay it to Friday in light of the justice department’s cooperation.

‘Many records in DoJ’s custody’

“Officials with the department of justice [DoJ] have informed us that the department will begin to provide Epstein-related records to the oversight committee this week on Friday,” the Republican representative told reporters on Monday.

“There are many records in DoJ’s custody, and it will take the department time to produce all the records and ensure the identification of victims and any child sexual abuse material are redacted.”

Mr Comer added: “I appreciate the Trump administration’s commitment to transparency and efforts to provide the American people with information about this matter.”