On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced that it may require several additional weeks to release all records related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This decision follows the unexpected discovery of over a million potentially relevant documents, causing further delays in meeting the congressionally mandated deadline set for last Friday.
The announcement, made on Christmas Eve, came shortly after a group of U.S. senators—comprising 11 Democrats and one Republican—called on the department's watchdog to investigate its failure to comply with the established deadline. In a letter addressed to Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume, the senators emphasized that victims deserve complete transparency and the assurance provided by an independent audit.
In a social media update, the Justice Department revealed that federal prosecutors in Manhattan, alongside the FBI, had uncovered more than a million additional documents possibly linked to the Epstein case. This stunning revelation comes at a time when department officials had previously indicated that they had conducted a thorough review of all Epstein-related materials.
In March, Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Fox News that significant evidence had been produced after she ordered the FBI to deliver comprehensive files related to Epstein to her office. This directive was prompted by information from an undisclosed source indicating that the FBI in New York possessed thousands of pages of pertinent documents.
However, in July, both the FBI and the Justice Department suggested in an unsigned memo that they had completed an exhaustive review, concluding that no further evidence needed to be disclosed. This marked a stark contrast to the Trump administration's earlier commitment to maximum transparency regarding the Epstein case.
As of last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche indicated that federal prosecutors in Manhattan already had access to over 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations involving Epstein and his close associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. It is important to note that many of these records were duplicates of previously submitted materials. The Justice Department is currently working diligently to review these documents while ensuring compliance with the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the government to release its files on Epstein and Maxwell.
The department has stated that documents will be released as soon as possible, although they have warned that the extensive volume of material may delay this process by a few weeks. This announcement comes amid growing scrutiny regarding the Justice Department's staggered release of Epstein-related records, facing criticism from both victims of Epstein and members of Congress.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky, one of the principal authors of the law mandating document disclosure, criticized the Justice Department on X, stating that they had violated the law by making illegal redactions and failing to meet the deadline. Another co-author of the law, Representative Ro Khanna from California, pledged to maintain pressure on the Justice Department, noting that the increased release of documents followed threats of contempt from lawmakers.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, expressed his concerns after the Justice Department's announcement, questioning what the department might be concealing. He stated, "The question Americans deserve answered is simple: WHAT are they hiding — and WHY?"
The White House defended the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein records, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson stating that President Trump has assembled an exemplary cabinet, including Attorney General Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Blanche, who are effectively implementing the President's agenda.
Following the initial wave of records released last Friday, the Justice Department continued to post additional batches of documents over the weekend and on Tuesday. However, the department has not provided any timeline for when more records will be made available. The released documents include photographs, interview transcripts, call logs, court records, and other materials, many of which were previously public or heavily redacted, lacking necessary context.
Among the newly released documents are transcripts of grand jury testimony from FBI agents who recounted interviews with several girls and young women who were reportedly compensated to perform sexual acts for Epstein. Other recent disclosures include a January 2020 note from a federal prosecutor indicating that Trump had flown on Epstein's private plane more frequently than previously known, as well as emails between Maxwell and an individual who signed off with the initial "A," which could reference Britain's former Prince Andrew.
In light of the ongoing controversy, the group of senators advocating for an inspector general audit expressed that given the Trump administration's historical resistance to releasing files, a neutral assessment of its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act is essential. They emphasized that full transparency is crucial for identifying individuals who enabled and participated in Epstein's crimes.