 – The US Justice Department released a fresh batch of FBI records that shed new light on President Donald Trump's alleged associa...){kind=link}
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The US Justice Department released a fresh batch of FBI records that shed new light on President Donald Trump’s alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein, detailing claims from an unnamed accuser who accused the former president of attempting to force her into oral sex in the 1980s. Initially, the department had only provided summaries for one of four interviews she gave FBI agents in 2019 as part of their investigation into Epstein.
The recently disclosed documents outline how the woman alleged Trump had approached her at a meeting arranged by Epstein and that he had pressured her to engage in sexual activities against her will. This comes amid renewed scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of documents from the Epstein investigation, which Congress demands be made public. Democrats have questioned whether the administration has concealed records related to Trump’s involvement with Epstein.
The department highlighted that some of these documents contained “untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump.” Notably, a record from an October 2019 interview suggested she had been hesitant to share further information due to concerns about potential consequences in her current situation. The Justice Department emphasized that the released documents were part of 15 previously coded as duplicates and not included.
In parallel, the release underscores ongoing congressional debate over the administration’s response to the Epstein scandal. Democrats have called for Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before Congress on her department’s efforts to address these disclosures. Trump has repeatedly denied any association with Epstein beyond the late 2000s, citing police reports that did not support allegations of misconduct.
The Justice Department also revealed records showing Trump had flown several times on Epstein’s private jet in the 1990s, which Trump himself has disputed. The department’s initial release in 2022 included interviews with the accuser where she first raised claims about Epstein, while this new batch offers her perspective after it was confirmed that Epstein was a sex trafficking suspect.
As Congress continues to scrutinize these disclosures, the Justice Department insists that its handling of documents from the Epstein investigation complies with legal requirements and congressional oversight. The revelations underscore broader concerns over potential cover-ups within the administration’s response to allegations involving both Trump and his associates.