A federal judge in New York has rejected the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the sex-trafficking case against Jeffrey Epstein, ruling that the documents are minor compared to the vast investigative materials already in government hands.
Judge Richard Berman said the 70 pages of transcripts – which largely contain testimony from an FBI agent with no direct knowledge of the case – paled in significance alongside the 100,000 pages of Epstein files the government already possesses. He described the bid to unseal the grand jury materials as a “diversion” from releasing the larger trove.
The ruling follows a similar decision by another judge earlier this month, who refused to unseal grand jury records from the case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend now serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. In that instance, Judge Paul Engelmayer noted that only two law enforcement officers testified, undermining any notion that the documents contained explosive revelations.
Berman highlighted threats to victims’ safety and privacy as compelling reasons to keep the transcripts sealed. Victims and their attorneys expressed concerns about being put in harm’s way, while anonymous victims did not want their identities disclosed. The government has said it will not release further Epstein files, citing court-ordered seals and the interweaving of victims’ information throughout the documents.
The Trump administration had come under intense pressure from supporters to release Epstein files, with President Trump previously promising to do so. However, the administration’s motion to unseal the grand jury transcripts was seen as an attempt to placate critics. Trump and Epstein were once known to be associates.
Separately, the House Oversight Committee announced it would release documents obtained via a subpoena to the Department of Justice, but only after ensuring all victims’ identities and child sexual abuse material are redacted.
