Washington, United States. The U.S. Justice Department published a new and final cache of millions of documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein under a law passed in November requiring the release of all Epstein-related records. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release marked the end of the Trump administration’s planned disclosures under the law.
Scope of the release
Blanche said the new cache includes more than three million pages, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images. Reuters said it is in the process of reviewing the files.
Redactions and exceptions under the law
Blanche said the files include “extensive” redactions, citing the law’s exceptions allowing certain materials to be blacked out, including identifying information of victims or materials related to active investigations. Previous releases have been heavily redacted, drawing criticism from some members of Congress.
Trump and references in the documents
Trump, who was friends with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before they had a falling out years before Epstein’s first conviction, spent months resisting any release until both Democrats and Republicans in Congress advanced the law over his objections. Trump has not been formally accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, but the issue has persisted in part because he promised to release the files during his 2024 presidential campaign.
It was not immediately clear how many newly released files mentioned Trump. The Justice Department’s first major release in December contained relatively few references to the president.
Justice Department statement and withheld materials
In a press release announcing Friday’s document production, the Justice Department said some documents contain “untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump” submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election, adding that the claims are “unfounded and false.”
Blanche said the department has withheld some files based on legal privilege, including work product and attorney-client privilege. Some lawmakers have said those withholdings appear to conflict with the law’s requirement to produce internal communications related to decisions on whether to charge or investigate Epstein or any associates.
Report to Congress
Blanche said the Justice Department will provide Congress a report summarizing all redactions and withheld documents, as required under the law, in a letter sent to Congress on Friday.
What do you think should be included in the report to Congress summarizing redactions and withheld documents?