Republican senators are intensifying pressure on Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department to release all files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that reference President Trump, warning that the issue will persist until full transparency is achieved.
GOP lawmakers are urging the Justice Department to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act following reports that the department has not made public records regarding claims made by a woman in 2019 against both Epstein and Trump, which related to an alleged incident from the 1980s.
Republicans find themselves on the defensive as Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has vowed that Democrats will use every tactic available to ensure the missing records are released.
Republican senators are urging the Justice Department to preemptively address the issue by releasing any records related to Trump that may have been withheld due to their sensitive or unverified nature.
“Release the documents. Redact the victims’ names. Do not release photographs, naked or otherwise, of minors. Release the documents. This issue will not go away until there is full disclosure,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Judiciary Committee.
When asked whether the administration should withhold unverified allegations made by the woman in interviews with the FBI, Kennedy responded: “I don’t know how else to say it: Release the documents.”
While acknowledging that the Justice Department should exercise some “discretion” in good faith, Kennedy emphasized the importance of transparency.
“This will not go away until there’s full disclosure, and the American people have the right to know who, if anyone, Epstein trafficked these women to and why they were not prosecuted,” Kennedy stated.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) expressed concern that withholding files referencing Trump would contradict the intent of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed overwhelmingly in Congress.
“I’m not sure what the reasons are for the redactions or withholding, especially given that he is currently in office, but that would seem inconsistent with the purpose of the law,” Collins said.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) stated that the law was clear and the Justice Department should release all documents related to Epstein.
“When we pass a law saying all documents need to be released, it seems clear that all documents should be released,” Grassley said.
The senior senator from Iowa has not yet decided whether he will hold a hearing on the Justice Department’s compliance with the law.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), another Judiciary Committee member, expressed concern about reports that the Justice Department had withheld Epstein-related files mentioning Trump.
“If it’s true, it’s concerning, unless it fits the same criteria as other documents,” he said. “I’ve seen the reports but haven’t confirmed the details.”
Media reports from The New York Times and other outlets revealed that Epstein-related documents released by the Justice Department did not include FBI memos summarizing interviews with a woman who alleged sexual assault by both Trump and Epstein in the 1980s, when she was a minor.
The White House has consistently stated that Trump did nothing wrong in connection with Epstein, and the Justice Department previously deemed the allegations as lacking credibility.
The missing memos were listed in an index publicly released by the Justice Department, which noted that the FBI conducted four interviews regarding the woman’s claims and wrote separate summaries.
However, the interview notes related to the investigation were also not released.
In response to inquiries from The Times, the Justice Department asserted that “the only materials that were withheld were either privileged or duplicates,” adding that documents may have been withheld due to “an ongoing federal investigation.”
On Wednesday evening, the Justice Department announced it would review files to check if any documents that should have been released were held back.
“Several individuals and news outlets have flagged files related to documents produced in Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal case discovery, claiming that they are missing,” the department said in a statement. “As with all flagged documents, the Department is reviewing these files. If any document was improperly withheld and is responsive to the law, we will release it.”
Independent journalist Roger Sollenberger was the first to report on the missing pages.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) indicated she had not closely followed the Justice Department’s compliance but would “look into” the issue.
“I thought they had released all the files. It’s definitely something I’d want to look into because Congress has been clear that it wants clarity on this issue,” she said.
Schumer, along with other Democratic senators, held a press conference on Thursday, pledging to continue pushing for the release of all Epstein files, including those mentioning the president.
“The law requires the DOJ to release all the files, not just some or the ones they choose,” Schumer said. “Let me be blunt, there is a massive cover-up happening in the Justice Department to protect Donald Trump and people connected to Jeffrey Epstein.”
Schumer added that Democrats are working with the victims’ attorneys and legal experts to secure the release of additional documents.
“We will not stop. It’s a full-scale oversight effort. We’ll follow every lead, talk to whistleblowers,” Schumer announced.
A group of Senate Democrats plans to visit the Justice Department “in the coming days” to review the unredacted Epstein files.
“Pam Bondi should listen carefully. The truth will come out,” Schumer warned. “Democrats will hold Bondi and everyone at the DOJ accountable for this cover-up.”
Democrats have also asked the Justice Department and FBI to preserve all records related to decisions on redacting and withholding Epstein-related documents.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, claimed that the Justice Department may have “illegally withheld” FBI interviews with the woman who accused Trump, and pledged to investigate the matter.
