The United States Justice Department on Friday began the release of millions of additional pages from the Jeffrey Epstein files, alongside thousands of images and videos, intensifying scrutiny around a case that has continued to generate political controversy involving President Donald Trump.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the White House had no involvement in the review or preparation of the materials for release, stressing that the process was handled independently by the department.
According to Blanche, the Justice Department was not directed on what to examine, redact or withhold from the extensive archive linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender, who was once associated with Trump.
The department disclosed that some of the newly released documents include claims about the 79-year-old president that were submitted to the FBI ahead of the 2020 presidential election, describing some of those allegations as untrue and sensational.
Blanche, a former personal lawyer to Trump, rejected suggestions that sensitive or damaging information relating to the president had been deliberately removed from the records. He maintained that no individual received special protection during the review process.
He explained that while images of girls and women were redacted to protect privacy, photographs of Ghislaine Maxwell were exempt. Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of trafficking underage girls.
However, survivors of Epstein’s alleged abuse expressed concern that identifying details about them still appear in the released files. In a joint statement signed by 19 individuals, some using aliases, they called for a full and unredacted release of the documents and urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to address the issue during her testimony before Congress next month.
Epstein, a wealthy financier, died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving underage girls. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
Earlier document releases have highlighted Epstein’s links to prominent figures in business, entertainment and politics, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, President Trump and former president Bill Clinton. None of the political figures named has been formally accused of wrongdoing.
Among the latest documents is a draft email in which Epstein alleged that Gates had engaged in extramarital relationships, a claim the Gates Foundation firmly denied, describing Epstein as a disgruntled and unreliable source.
Other correspondence published on Friday referenced interactions between Epstein and film producer Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants, including comments about women Epstein claimed to have introduced to him.
The Epstein case has long fueled conspiracy theories, particularly among Trump’s conservative supporters, who believe the financier operated a trafficking network involving global elites. To date, Maxwell remains the only person convicted in connection with Epstein’s crimes.
While Trump and Clinton are mentioned repeatedly in the documents, neither has been charged. Meanwhile, a Republican-controlled House committee recently voted to pursue contempt proceedings against Bill and Hillary Clinton over their refusal to testify in a congressional probe related to Epstein.
Trump, who previously socialised with Epstein, had resisted the release of the files for months, arguing that innocent individuals could be unfairly implicated. However, internal pressure within his party led to the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated the full disclosure of Justice Department records by December 19.
Blanche said Friday’s release concludes a lengthy and detailed review process aimed at ensuring transparency while protecting the identities of more than 1,000 alleged victims. He attributed earlier delays to the scale and sensitivity of the redaction work required.
