On December 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and the FBI had uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case. This surprise announcement came just days after the DOJ missed the December 19 deadline mandated by the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Donald Trump last month.
The department stated that it is reviewing the massive volume of new materials for necessary redactions to protect victims’ identities and comply with privacy laws and court orders. “Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks,” the DOJ posted on X, emphasizing that lawyers are working around the clock to expedite releases.
Initial batches released since December 19 have included thousands of pages of investigative files, photographs, emails, and flight logs, with notable mentions of President Trump from the 1990s and early 2000s, though no allegations of wrongdoing against him. Other documents referenced former President Bill Clinton and various high-profile figures, but much remains heavily redacted.
The discovery has fueled bipartisan criticism. Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), co-sponsors of the transparency act, renewed threats of contempt proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi for the initial delay. Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Robert Garcia, accused the administration of withholding information to shield powerful individuals.
Victim advocates expressed frustration, arguing that prolonged delays hinder justice and closure. The DOJ defended its actions, noting prior releases of hundreds of thousands of records and pledging full compliance with the law.
As scrutiny intensifies, questions persist about the scope of Epstein’s network and why such a large cache was only now identified.
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