DOJ Drops “Several Hundred Thousand” Epstein Records as Legal Deadline Nears

By Charlie McCarthy | Friday, December 19, 2025, 11:36 AM EST

The Justice Department will release “several hundred thousand” items from the Jeffrey Epstein files on Friday, with a similar amount coming in “the next couple of weeks,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

Blanche told Fox News that the first batch will include “photographs and other materials associated with all of the investigations” into convicted sex trafficker Epstein.

The deputy attorney general stated the disclosure fulfills President Donald Trump’s long-stated call for transparency while accusing Democrats of “radio silence” during the Biden administration despite now demanding immediate disclosure.

Blanche stressed that the department’s top priority is protecting victims, saying officials are reviewing “every single piece of paper” to ensure names and identifying information are redacted.

He noted a federal judge in New York has required review by the U.S. attorney’s office there to safeguard victim information before release.

Blanche acknowledged the DOJ would not provide Congress the full set of unclassified files by the deadline, instead delivering a partial batch Friday and more in the coming weeks — a timetable some lawmakers argue does not align with legal requirements.

The statute permits redactions and limited withholding but does not explicitly establish a “rolling” disclosure deadline.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., one of the lawmakers pushing for the vote that forced action on the bill, has argued the requirements are straightforward and warned there could be consequences for noncompliance, including the obligation for DOJ to provide a rationale for any materials withheld.

On Friday, Blanche was asked whether new disclosures would lead to fresh prosecutions. He replied there are “no new charges coming” related to Epstein as of Friday but added that the matter remains under investigation.

The release comes as the statutory clock runs out under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan measure compelling the DOJ to make public unclassified Epstein-related records while allowing redactions to protect victims and preserve active investigative equities.

For the Trump administration, the high-profile document dump is being framed as a transparency milestone and direct rebuttal to years of public frustration over what the government knows about disgraced financier Epstein’s network and how the case was handled.

The release is expected to include a broad mix of investigative records and related materials, with victim-protection redactions anticipated and additional installments planned.

Blanche signaled that the administration’s intent is to publish everything the law allows while protecting victims, letting outcomes unfold regardless of reputational implications.