The U.S. Justice Department released on Friday its final cache of millions of documents related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, under a law enacted in November that compelled such disclosure. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated at a press conference that this massive batch marked the end of planned releases during the Trump administration. The new release includes over three million pages, 2000 videos, and 180,000 images. Blanche noted extensive redactions due to exceptions in the law, such as identifying information of victims or materials linked to active investigations.
Trump, who was friends with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s before their falling out, had spent months resisting any release until both Democrats and Republicans forced his hand by advancing the law over objections. Trump has not been formally accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein; he denies knowing about Epstein’s crimes. The scandal has dogged him for several months, especially since he promised to release the files during his 2024 presidential campaign.
Blanche highlighted that some documents have also been withheld based on legal privilege, including work product and attorney-client privilege. Some lawmakers assert these withholdings conflict with the law requiring disclosure of internal communications related to decisions regarding Epstein or associates. The Justice Department will provide a report summarizing all redactions and withheld files to Congress.
The department wrote in its press release that some documents contained untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump, which were submitted to the FBI close to the 2020 election. They clarified these claims are unfounded and false; if credible, they would have already been used against Trump.
Epstein, a New York financier with connections to high-profile political and business figures, was found hanged in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. While his death was ruled a suicide, it has fueled years of conspiracy theories, some of which Trump promoted during his 2024 presidential campaign.
Blanche expressed frustration with accusations that the Justice Department had declined to pursue associates of Epstein who might have engaged in illegal activity. He stated, “There’s this built-in assumption that somehow there’s this hidden tranche of information about men we know about but are not choosing to prosecute. That is not the case.”
The Epstein scandal has become a persistent political problem for Trump, who already faces sagging approval ratings on various issues, including his handling of the economy and immigration crackdown. Blanche defended the slow pace of releases, pointing out that hundreds of attorneys had worked day and night reviewing and preparing the voluminous files for public release. The law set a December 19, 2025 deadline but required more time to review the documents.