Why Is The Release Of Epstein Files Continuously Getting Delayed? DOJ Says, ‘May Need A Few More Weeks’

The Justice Department says it needs a few more weeks to release all its records on Jeffrey Epstein. They just found over a million documents that might be relevant, which pushes back the deadline Congress set for last Friday.

This news dropped on Christmas Eve, just hours after a group of U.S. senators, eleven Democrats and one Republican, asked the DOJ’s watchdog to look into why the department missed the deadline.

In their letter, they said Epstein’s victims deserve full disclosure and the reassurance of an independent audit.

Why the DOJ Is Delaying the Release of Jeffrey Epstein Records?

On social media, the DOJ explained that federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI “uncovered over a million more documents” possibly tied to Epstein. This was a surprise, especially since department officials had claimed months ago that they’d already done a thorough review.

Back in March, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News she’d ordered the FBI to deliver the “full and complete Epstein files” to her office. She’d heard from a source that the FBI in New York was sitting on thousands of pages of documents. She called the evidence a “truckload.”

Then, in July, the FBI and Justice Department said in a memo that they’d completed an “exhaustive review” and didn’t plan to release any more evidence. That was a big shift from earlier promises of total transparency. The memo didn’t mention the chance that more documents might exist.

DOJ Faces Questions After Missing Deadline

Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote that Manhattan prosecutors already had more than 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, though many were just copies of stuff the FBI already had.

The Justice Department insists its lawyers are working nonstop to review everything and remove victims’ names or other identifying details, as required by the new Epstein Files Transparency Act. This law, passed last month, forces the government to open its Epstein and Maxwell files.

“We’ll release the documents as soon as possible,” the department promised. “But with so much material, it might take a few more weeks.”

People are losing patience. Victims and members of Congress are becoming more vocal about the slow, uneven release of Epstein records.

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and one of the main authors of the law forcing the document release, posted on X: “DOJ did break the law by making illegal redactions and by missing the deadline.” Another sponsor, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, said he and Massie would keep the pressure on, and pointed out that the DOJ only released more documents after lawmakers threatened contempt.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer takes a dig over delay

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer didn’t hold back either. After the DOJ’s announcement, he said, “A Christmas Eve news dump of ‘a million more files’ only proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup. The question Americans deserve answered is simple: WHAT are they hiding and WHY?”

The White House, though, defended the DOJ. Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said, “President Trump has assembled the greatest cabinet in American history, which includes Attorney General Bondi and her team like Deputy Attorney General Blanche, who are doing a great job implementing the President’s agenda.”

After the first batch of records came out Friday, the DOJ posted more files over the weekend and again on Tuesday. It hasn’t said when the next batch is coming.

What has been released so far?

So far, most of what’s been released, photos, interview transcripts, call logs, court documents—was already public or is so heavily redacted it’s hard to make sense of.

Still, some new records have surfaced, like grand jury transcripts where FBI agents talk about interviews with girls and young women who say they were paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.

ALSO READ: Who Is Shahzad Akbar? Imran Khan’s Former Aide, Who Criticised Asim Munir, Attacked Outside UK Home, Suffers Nose And Jaw Fractures

The post Why Is The Release Of Epstein Files Continuously Getting Delayed? DOJ Says, ‘May Need A Few More Weeks’ appeared first on NewsX.