The phrase “history repeats itself” is widely known and often used for various reasons.
It highlights recurring patterns in human behavior, societal trends and historic or political events.
That’s where Hamilton: An American Musical comes in. By examining a quote from the musical alongside a contemporary political story, we can explore whether the ideals, conflicts and ambitions that shaped the early republic are echoing in current events, or if what appears familiar is simply history’s rhyming, not its repetition.
This week, we pull comparisons from the current debate about the Epstein files and Hamilton’s “Reynolds Pamphlet.”
When Alexander Hamilton published the infamous Reynolds Pamphlet in 1797, he set off one of America’s first political scandals. He admitted to an affair with Maria Reynolds to silence rumors of financial corruption during his time as Treasury Secretary. The public humiliation was extensive and his political standing suffered, but Hamilton believed that the only path to preserving integrity was through transparency, reflected in the musical’s line “Hey! At least he was honest with our money!”
Fast forward to 2025. We are again wrestling with a scandal of secrecy, power and the same question: who decides what is revealed and when?
That scandal is the political wrestling match over the Epstein files, documents that include flight logs, calendars, correspondence and court filings connected to Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and many others.
In recent months, the House Oversight Committee, dominated by Republicans, has begun releasing thousands of pages of Epstein‑related documents. They are records that have been under seal, heavily redacted or partially withheld, now being pushed into public view.
Support for releasing more of the files and exposing redactions has strong public backing. A poll from The Washington Post revealed that about 67% of Americans strongly support releasing all files in the Epstein case, with further support when considering. Another poll from Quinnipiac University likewise found that 63% of voters disapprove of how the Trump administration is handling the Epstein files.
The political fallout is multifaceted. On one side, lawmakers, especially Democrats, argue that too many names remain shielded, and the redactions preserve the privacy of the powerful more than they protect victims. On the other, some Republicans defend the pace of release, sometimes pointing to legal constraints or the need to protect ongoing investigations.
What is striking is how much people want transparency. According to The Washington Post’s poll, about 26% of U.S. adults said they were paying “a lot” of attention to news about the Epstein files and 38% said “some.” Only 11% said “none.” In that same poll, nearly six in 10 disapprove of how President Trump is handling the files.
People also suspect the files contain embarrassing information, not only about Trump, but also Democrats and billionaires. In fact, in the Post poll, about 84% thought there was embarrassing info about billionaires, about 66% thought the same of Democrats and 61% thought it might implicate Trump.
Hamilton’s Reynolds Pamphlet was a scandal of its time: dramatic, self‑inflicted and politically costly. He published it voluntarily in an effort to clear an accusation, choosing openness and confession.
The Epstein files are a scandal of our time, hidden and still unfolding. There has been no voluntary confession from any of the powerful people named beyond those already charged. Instead, the revelations come through legal pressure, oversight, public petitioning, journalism and lawsuits.
History in this instance, doesn’t repeat, but it rhymes. In both cases, the real damage isn’t just reputational. As we go through the documents and debate the consequences, we’re reminded that truth matters, but what we do with it matters even more.
Hamilton once believed that owning one’s mistakes was the way to keep honor. Today’s scandal doesn’t have such a voluntary confession, yet maybe the pressure will force something close.
Regardless of what courts decide, the Epstein files are already a mirror. They reflect how power handles exposure, how institutions delay or defend and how the public’s demand for truth can become part of the story.
