The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has formally requested that federal judges make the Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts public. Epstein was a convicted sex offender who died by suicide in a Manhattan prison in 2019, and Ghislaine Maxwell, his close associate, was convicted for helping Epstein recruit and abuse underage girls.
Maxwell is appealing her conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing she should have been protected under an earlier grant of immunity.
President Donald Trump said earlier this week he wanted the material released, adding that it would still be “subject to court approval.”
“Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!” Trump wrote in a social media post on Thursday, July 17.
DOJ memo previously denied further disclosures
The DOJ in July issued a memo explaining that officials would not release any more information about Epstein’s federal sex trafficking case. They claimed they had already conducted an “exhaustive review” and concluded there was nothing more to disclose.
MAGA supporters expressed frustration
The memo caused a rift within the “Make America Great Again” movement, as Trump’s own supporters criticized how his administration handled the Epstein investigation. Many of Trump’s supporters believed the investigation would reveal a “client list” of powerful people who allegedly used Epstein’s trafficking network.
On Wednesday, July 16, multiple Republican lawmakers publicly called for greater transparency about the Epstein case. Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, urged the Trump administration to “release all of the files” related to the investigation.
DOJ cites public interest in filing
According to ABC News, the DOJ’s filing requests the court “conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as a matter of public interest, release the associated grand jury transcripts, and lift any preexisting protective orders.”
Bondi stated that, before the transcripts are released, the Department of Justice will coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to redact sensitive information — including the names of victims — in order to protect their identities.
