The Epstein files: the fight to make the Justice Department release them

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an initial federal release in February 2025, consisting largely of material already public.^[9] In July, the Justice Department and FBI said their review had found no incriminating client list or credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent people and concluded that further disclosure was unwarranted.^[10] That month, a federal judge in Florida denied a request to unseal federal grand jury material, and a House committee voted to subpoena the department's Epstein files.^[11][12]

Lawmakers then pursued a broader disclosure law. In November, a petition gained enough signatures to force action on a House vote.^[13] Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, and President Trump signed it on November 19. It required publication of covered unclassified records within 30 days, allowed specified protections including for victims' identifying information, and prohibited withholding or delay to spare embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity.^[1] After the law passed, a federal judge in Florida ordered federal grand jury records released.^[14]

The Justice Department began publishing records at the December deadline while acknowledging that it would not release everything by then.^[2] On January 30, 2026, it released more than three million additional pages and said that fulfilled its production obligations under the law.^[3]

Survivors' lawyers said the posted records exposed identifying information and asked judges to order their removal. The department withdrew thousands of documents and said it was fixing redactions.^[4] Survivors later sued the Justice Department and Google over the disclosure of private information.^[15]

Completeness remained disputed. In February, Democratic Representative Robert Garcia accused the department of withholding files concerning an allegation against Trump; that accusation did not establish the underlying allegation.^[16] In April, the department's inspector general announced a review of compliance with the disclosure law.^[5] In September, a federal judge warned Attorney General Todd Blanche of possible contempt proceedings if the department failed to comply with a court order concerning Epstein records.^[6] In October, the department said it would not appoint a special counsel to investigate Epstein's network.^[17]

After Democrats won the House, Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, moved to force a vote on a second disclosure law, which he called the Epstein Files Transparency Act II,^[18] and on November 11 his discharge petition gained enough signatures to force a House vote on legislation requiring the department to release more files.^[19]