Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated on Friday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will not meet the deadline to release materials related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Enacted last month as a congressional law and signed by President Donald Trump, the Epstein Files Transparency Act granted the Justice Department 30 days to “publicly disclose…all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” connected to Epstein, his long-term associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and other individuals—including government officials—named or referenced in the files.
However, Blanche indicated on Friday that not all files would be released by the deadline, citing the extensive redactions required to safeguard victims. “We are examining every single document we intend to release, ensuring that each victim’s name, identity, and their story—where protection is necessary—is fully shielded,” he said.
“Today, several hundred thousand [documents will be released], and I anticipate several hundred thousand more over the next few weeks,” he added.
The DOJ was also directed to release documents concerning internal department communications regarding decisions to charge, not charge, or investigate Epstein. The Epstein Files Transparency Act provided the department with 15 days to explain why specific documents were withheld.
In the early 2000s, Epstein faced a federal investigation after the family of a 14-year-old girl came forward with allegations of sexual abuse. A draft indictment against Epstein listed 60 criminal charges, yet he eventually reached a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, resulting in a lenient sentence of less than 13 months.
In 2019, Epstein was later charged with sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. He died in an apparent suicide while awaiting trial that August.
The case has drawn national attention due to Epstein’s public connections to influential figures in politics, finance, Hollywood, and academia.
Public pressure for the release of the files surged this year after Trump and several of his senior officials—who had previously pledged full transparency—started actively discouraging their release and minimizing their significance.
Many within the President’s own MAGA base, along with [others], remain angered by the limited information released by the Administration since Trump took office.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have been [accessing] select files from Epstein’s estate, including photographs of several prominent figures, such as Trump, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, former President Bill Clinton, and others. The committee [has obtained] letters from Epstein’s address book, which includes a note written by the president.
Trump had a public friendship with Epstein, though he has strongly denied any awareness of Epstein’s criminal activities.
Lawmakers have criticized the DOJ for missing the deadline to release all files. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, stated that failing to release all files constitutes “breaking the law.”
“Senate Democrats are collaborating closely with attorneys representing Jeffrey Epstein’s victims and external legal experts to determine which documents are being withheld and what is being concealed by Pam Bondi. We will not rest until the full truth is revealed,” Schumer added.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, similarly criticized the DOJ on Thursday, stating that “there will be consequences” if Bondi fails to release all Epstein files.