On December 19, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced in a Fox News interview that the Department of Justice would not fully release all its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by the congressionally mandated deadline. While the DOJ planned to publish several hundred thousand documents that day—including photographs and investigative materials—Blanche indicated that additional hundreds of thousands would follow over the coming weeks. This partial rollout stems from the need to carefully review and redact sensitive information, particularly to protect the identities and stories of Epstein’s victims, as emphasized by Blanche.

The deadline was established by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan bill overwhelmingly passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump in November 2025. The legislation required the DOJ to make publicly available, in a searchable and downloadable format, all unclassified records related to Epstein’s investigations, prosecutions, and associations with Ghislaine Maxwell, with narrow exemptions for victim privacy, ongoing probes, and national security. Blanche stressed that the department had been “working tirelessly” to comply while prioritizing victim protection, noting “a lot of eyes” on the process to ensure thoroughness.

The announcement drew sharp criticism from Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who accused the Trump administration and Attorney General Pam Bondi of orchestrating a “cover-up” and violating the law by not releasing everything at once. Some Republicans, like Rep. Thomas Massie—a key proponent of the transparency act—also expressed concern over the phased approach, highlighting the statute’s clear directive for full disclosure by the deadline. As the initial documents began rolling out, public anticipation remained high for revelations about Epstein’s extensive network, though the staggered release has fueled ongoing debates about transparency and potential withholdings.