Withheld Epstein files with accusations against Trump released by justice department
Epstein Files Accusing Trump Were Released by Justice Department After Withholding
The U.S. Department of Justice has disclosed FBI documents detailing interviews with a woman who alleged sexual misconduct by Donald Trump. These files were initially omitted from the DOJ’s database, leading Democrats to accuse officials of concealing information. The agency clarified the documents were “accidentally held back” due to being “incorrectly coded as duplicative” during its review.
The materials outline interviews conducted in 2019 with the woman, who leveled unverified claims against Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. The president has consistently rejected these allegations, asserting no wrongdoing. One memo indicates the woman claimed she met Trump through Epstein in the 1980s while still a teenager, and she alleged both men assaulted her between ages 13 and 15.
“As we have said countless times, President Trump has been totally exonerated by the release of the Epstein Files,” stated Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. She added that the Justice Department under the Biden administration did not charge Trump “because they knew President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong.”
Alongside witness summaries, the full batch of files includes allegations submitted to the Threat Operation Center’s national tip line. These claims, often based on unconfirmed reports, frequently lack supporting evidence. The DOJ noted in January that some documents contained “untrue and sensationalist claims” against Trump, which were presented to the FBI just before the 2020 election. Officials emphasized these assertions were “unfounded and false,” suggesting they would have been used against Trump if credible.
Following media reports about the missing files, three summaries of interviews and associated notes—spanning over 50 pages—were recently published. NPR first highlighted that indexes in the files implied the FBI conducted four interviews in 2019 as part of its probe into Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was imprisoned in 2022 for sex trafficking. However, these documents were not initially accessible on the DOJ’s website.
Epstein’s friendship with Trump reportedly lasted several years before their relationship soured in the early 2000s. According to Trump, this rift occurred two years prior to his first arrest. The House Oversight Committee has since voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi, with both Republicans and Democrats supporting the move to scrutinize the DOJ’s handling of the files.
Earlier in November, Congress enacted legislation mandating the release of all materials from Epstein investigations. Since then, millions of documents have been disclosed, including Trump’s repeated mentions in emails and correspondence from Epstein himself.
