The US Justice Department has announced a significant delay in releasing the full cache of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, stating it will miss a key deadline set by Congress.
Missed Deadline and Mounting Volume
In a statement released on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, the department confirmed it would not meet the 19th December deadline imposed by lawmakers. Officials now estimate the process could take a "few more weeks" to complete. The primary reason for the delay is the discovery of a vast number of additional records.
The department revealed that the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have identified more than a million further documents that could be pertinent to the long-running investigation into the disgraced financier. The DOJ did not specify when it first learned of this substantial new material.
Round-the-Clock Review Process
Despite the setback, the Justice Department insisted its legal teams are "working around the clock" to process the files. This intensive review is necessary to apply legally required redactions before the documents can be made public. The law mandating the release was passed by Congress last month with near-unanimous support.
"We will release the documents as soon as possible," the department pledged. "Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks." This statement underscores the enormous scale of the task facing federal investigators as they sift through the newly uncovered evidence.
Implications and Ongoing Scrutiny
The further postponement is likely to fuel continued public and political demand for transparency in the Epstein case. The delay highlights the sprawling and complex nature of the investigation, even years after Epstein's death. Observers and victims' advocates will be watching closely to see if the new documents contain significant revelations when they are finally made public.
The commitment to a comprehensive review, while causing a delay, suggests the department is attempting to be thorough in its compliance with the Congressional order. However, the missed deadline raises questions about the initial scope of the document search and the management of this highly sensitive case file.
