Congress passed a bill last month, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on November 19, to force the Justice Department to release the Epstein files.
According to the text of the Epstein bill, Bondi has until Friday, December 19, to release all materials in the possession of the DOJ, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices relating to investigations into Epstein, his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, as well as information on travel records, individuals with ties to the pair and his death in 2019.
The release is meant to be comprehensive, with no redactions permitted for potential “embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity” for government officials, public figures or foreign dignitaries. Redactions are allowed, however, to protect the identity of victims and prevent disruption to any active investigations or prosecutions, provided these are accompanied by written justifications.
The president had previously opposed the measure, but changed course following backlash from victims and members of his party, after which it easily cleared both the House and the Senate.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said she intended to comply with the deadline set out in the bill in a statement to ABC, but some Democrats have already drawn a connection between the early Christmas recess and the scheduled release of the files.
“Like I said: view all political developments for the rest of the week in light of the fact that the Epstein Files are supposed to be released on Friday,” New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez posted to X. “House Republicans just suddenly canceled Congressional session Friday and are sending everyone home Thursday evening.”