With over two million Epstein documents still under review, calls intensify for a special master to break the government’s glacial pace.
As of early January 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice has released only about 12,000 documents—roughly 125,000 pages—representing less than 1% of the total trove related to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network. More than two million additional files, including newly discovered materials from FBI vaults and the Southern District of New York, remain in various stages of review and redaction. This slow progress has violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan law signed by President Trump in late 2025 that mandated full disclosure by December 19, with minimal redactions limited to victim privacy.
The delays have fueled bipartisan outrage. On January 8, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), the act’s lead sponsors, wrote to federal Judge Paul Engelmayer urging the appointment of a special master—an independent overseer—to compel compliance. “The DOJ cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosures,” they argued, citing “flagrant violations” that retraumatize survivors. They highlighted unnecessary over-redactions, removed files post-publication, and the sudden revelation of over a million extra documents just before the deadline.
Survivors and advocates echo these demands. Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir, Nobody’s Girl, published in October 2025, amplified calls for transparency by detailing her grooming, abuse, and battles against Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell (now serving 20 years), and associates like Prince Andrew (who settled civilly while denying allegations). Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, hoped her story would force accountability; the stalled releases betray that legacy.
Critics across the spectrum accuse the DOJ of foot-dragging to shield powerful figures named in flight logs, contacts, and interviews—many already public but scattered. Initial tranches revealed photos, subpoenas, and internal deliberations, yet heavy blackouts obscure key details. Attorney General Pam Bondi insists hundreds of lawyers are working “around the clock” to protect victims, but skeptics see evasion.
A special master could accelerate redactions, prioritize non-duplicative files, and ensure adherence to the law’s spirit: exposing how Epstein evaded justice for decades. Without intervention, the process risks dragging into mid-2026 midterms, breeding conspiracy and eroding trust. Victims deserve swift truth; society demands the full reckoning Giuffre fought for. The clock ticks—justice delayed is justice denied once more.
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