Trump administration releases final batch of Jeffrey Epstein files

WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department on Friday released what it described as the final and largest collection of records related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following a law passed in November requiring the publication of all Epstein-related documents.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the newly released cache includes more than three million pages, around 2,000 videos and 180,000 images.

The files contain “extensive” redactions, Blanche said, citing legal exemptions that allow authorities to black out certain information, including details that could identify victims or material linked to ongoing investigations.

Previous releases had also been heavily redacted, drawing criticism from some members of Congress.

Trump, who had social ties with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before later falling out with him, resisted the release for months until lawmakers from both parties pushed through legislation mandating full disclosure.

Trump has not been formally accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. However, the scandal has remained a political issue for him, particularly after he pledged during his 2024 presidential campaign to make the files public.

Blanche said some documents were still being withheld under legal privilege, including attorney-client privilege and work product protections, despite objections from lawmakers who argue the law required internal communications to be released.

The Justice Department said it would provide Congress with a report summarising all redactions and withheld documents, as required under the law.

In a statement accompanying Friday’s release, the department said some records contained “untrue and sensationalist claims” against Trump that were submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election, adding the allegations were “unfounded and false.”

Epstein, a New York financier with connections to prominent political and business figures, was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, though it has fuelled conspiracy theories for years.

Blanche rejected claims that the Justice Department was protecting Epstein’s associates.

“There’s this built-in assumption that somehow there’s this hidden tranche of information… that we’re covering up or choosing not to prosecute,” he said. “That is not the case.”

The Epstein controversy has remained a challenge for Trump, who has faced declining approval ratings on several issues, including the economy and immigration policy.

Blanche defended the pace of the releases, saying the volume of material required hundreds of attorneys to review documents for weeks before making them public. The law had set a deadline of December 19, 2025, but officials said more time was needed.