On December 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a surprising development in the ongoing release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender. The FBI and federal prosecutors in New York informed the DOJ that they had uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially connected to the investigations into Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. This discovery significantly expands the scope of materials to be reviewed and released, pushing back the timeline for full public disclosure by several weeks.
The announcement comes amid intense scrutiny of the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act—a bipartisan law passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in November 2025. The act required the department to release all unclassified records related to Epstein by December 19, with limited redactions allowed only to protect victims’ identities or ongoing investigations. Names or information that might cause embarrassment or reputational harm were explicitly not permitted to be redacted.
To date, the DOJ has released batches totaling hundreds of thousands of pages, including photographs, emails, investigative notes, and grand jury transcripts. Initial releases began on December 19, followed by additional drops over the weekend and on December 23. These documents have included details such as flight logs showing President Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet more frequently in the 1990s than previously reported, emails referencing potential co-conspirators (including mentions of 10 individuals subpoenaed in 2019), and communications involving figures like Britain’s Prince Andrew.
However, the releases have drawn criticism from both parties. Lawmakers, including co-sponsors Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), have accused the DOJ of excessive redactions and failing to meet the deadline. Some documents were briefly removed from the public site (including one photo featuring Trump), though Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche insisted this was due to victim concerns, not political protection. Democratic leaders like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Robert Garcia have alleged a cover-up, while a bipartisan group of senators, including Republican Lisa Murkowski, called for an independent audit of the DOJ’s compliance.
The DOJ has defended its process, stating that nearly 200 lawyers—many working through the holidays—are reviewing the massive volume of material to ensure proper redactions for victim privacy. “We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the department said in a statement. Officials emphasized compliance with the law and President Trump’s directive for transparency.
The newly discovered documents—whose origins were not detailed—further complicate the effort. While the DOJ has pledged to continue releases on a rolling basis, the added million-plus pages mean full compliance could extend into early 2026.
Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges, has long been a figure of public fascination due to his associations with powerful individuals. The files have revived scrutiny of those connections, including international figures like Prince Andrew (recently stripped of his title amid Epstein links) and former UK politician Peter Mandelson. Victims and advocates continue to push for accountability, arguing that transparency is essential to identifying enablers of Epstein’s crimes.
As the review process continues, the Epstein saga remains a politically charged issue, testing the Trump administration’s commitment to the transparency law it initially resisted. The public awaits whether the expanded trove will reveal significant new insights or largely duplicate existing materials.