The U.S. Justice Department on Friday released what it described as the final and most extensive collection of records related to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, bringing to a close a years-long effort to make the controversial files public under a law enacted in November.
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed that the newly published materials represent the Trump administration’s last scheduled disclosure under the statute, which requires the government to release all Epstein-related records in its possession. The latest batch is vast, comprising more than three million pages of documents, roughly 2,000 videos, and approximately 180,000 images.
Despite the scale of the release, Blanche acknowledged that many of the records remain heavily redacted. He said the law includes specific exemptions that allow authorities to obscure sensitive material, including the identities of victims, information that could compromise privacy rights, and content tied to ongoing or unresolved investigations. Earlier disclosures were similarly redacted, prompting criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups who argue the public has yet to see the full scope of Epstein’s network.
Blanche pushed back against claims that the Justice Department had deliberately slowed the process or withheld information, saying the sheer volume of records required an extraordinary review effort. According to him, hundreds of government attorneys worked around the clock for weeks to examine and prepare the files for release. Although the law initially set a December 19, 2025 deadline, officials sought additional time to ensure legal compliance and avoid exposing protected information.
The disclosure effort was politically contentious from the outset. President Donald Trump resisted releasing the files for months before bipartisan pressure in Congress forced the issue forward. Trump had social ties to Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, though the two later fell out well before Epstein’s first conviction. The president has repeatedly denied any involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities and has not been formally accused of wrongdoing.
In a statement accompanying Friday’s release, the Justice Department sought to address allegations involving Trump that appear within some of the records. Officials said certain documents include “untrue and sensationalist claims” submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election, adding that the accusations were investigated and found to be baseless. “If these claims had any credibility,” the department said, “they would have been pursued long ago.”
Epstein, once a powerful New York financier with elite connections, was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, but it sparked widespread skepticism and fueled years of conspiracy theories, some of which Trump amplified during his 2024 presidential campaign.
Blanche also addressed ongoing public frustration over whether Epstein’s associates were ever held accountable. He rejected suggestions that prosecutors had ignored credible evidence against other individuals, calling such claims unfounded. “There is no secret list being protected, and no deliberate decision to shield anyone from prosecution,” he said.
The Epstein scandal continues to cast a long shadow over American politics and law enforcement, resurfacing periodically amid debates over transparency, accountability, and elite influence. For President Trump, the issue remains a lingering political vulnerability as he grapples with declining approval ratings tied to economic concerns and his hard-line immigration policies.
With Friday’s release, the Justice Department says it has fulfilled its legal obligations. Whether the disclosures bring closure—or reignite demands for further investigation—remains an open question.
