Justice Department Releases Missing Epstein Documents Including Trump Accuser Interviews
The United States Department of Justice has made public a new batch of files from its Jeffrey Epstein archive, which includes three previously withheld memos containing summaries of FBI interviews with an anonymous woman who made sexual assault allegations against former President Donald Trump. According to the DOJ, these documents were initially "incorrectly coded as duplicative" and not released in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
Background and DOJ Statement
In an official statement, the Department of Justice explained that an internal review identified 15 files that had been erroneously categorized. "All 20 of these documents are now live in the library in data set 12," the department confirmed. Additionally, the DOJ announced it would provide unredacted versions of all files marked as duplicative for Members of Congress to examine in the Congressional Reading Room.
Donald Trump has not been formally accused of any criminal wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein. However, he has faced ongoing scrutiny regarding their past social relationship in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, during the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump has stated that the friendship ended due to a bitter falling-out.
White House Response and Accusation Details
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt swiftly dismissed the allegations contained in the newly released memos, labeling them "completely baseless accusations, backed by zero credible evidence." She further argued that the Biden administration's Department of Justice had been aware of these claims for four years without taking action, which she interpreted as proof of their invalidity.
The three "302" memos document a series of FBI interviews with the accuser, presenting straightforward notes without additional commentary from the agents. The initial interview occurred in July 2019, shortly after Epstein's rearrest and a month before his death in a New York City jail cell. At that time, the woman described meeting Epstein in South Carolina in the 1980s and being sexually abused by him at age 13, but made no mention of Trump.
Specific Allegations Against Trump
According to the first of the newly released documents, the woman alleged that Epstein transported her to either New York or New Jersey while she was still underage and took her to a "very tall building" where she was introduced to Donald Trump. She claimed that Trump asked others to leave the room and made a comment akin to, "Let me teach you how little girls are supposed to be." The accuser further stated that Trump pressed her head against his crotch, expecting oral sex, but she bit him instead. Trump allegedly then struck her and said something similar to, "get this little bitch the hell out of here." The woman also reported overhearing discussions about blackmail and money laundering between Trump and Epstein.
In a third interview later that month, the woman described receiving threatening phone calls and multiple incidents where she was "almost run off of the road" by other vehicles, which she believed were orchestrated by Epstein or Trump. During a fourth session in October 2019, she expressed doubts about the value of pursuing allegations given the likely expiration of the statute of limitations. FBI agents advised her to "go home and take as much time as she needed to think about speaking with the agents further."
Ongoing Investigations and Political Fallout
Three months after the initial release of the Epstein files, DOJ employees continue to dedicate several hours weekly to correcting redaction issues and other posting errors, according to a senior official who spoke to CNN. The documents remain a political headache for President Trump, with figures like Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Thomas Massie accusing him of using airstrikes against Iran as a distraction from the scandal.
Meanwhile, the Republican-led House Oversight Committee persists in its investigation, recently conducting six hours of closed-door testimony from both Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton. The committee has announced that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has agreed to appear voluntarily. Lutnick has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein but, similar to Trump, faces repeated questions about their past association. Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been subpoenaed to testify regarding the file rollout and the decision-making process behind it.
