The Christmas Eve statement followed a call from a dozen US senators urging the Justice Department’s watchdog to investigate its failure to meet the deadline. This group, consisting of 11 Democrats and one Republican, addressed Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume in a letter, asserting that victims “deserve full disclosure” and the “peace of mind” of an independent audit.
In a social media post, the Justice Department stated that federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI “have uncovered over a million additional documents” that could be connected to the Epstein case — a startling late-breaking development after department officials suggested months ago that they had completed a comprehensive review of all related materials.
In March, Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Fox News that a “truckload of evidence” had been produced following her directive for the FBI to “deliver the full and complete Epstein files to my office.” She issued this directive after learning from an unnamed source that the FBI in New York held “thousands of pages of documents.”
In July, the FBI and Justice Department indicated in an unsigned memo that they had conducted an “exhaustive review” and concluded that no additional evidence should be released — a significant shift from the Trump administration’s prior commitment to maximum transparency. The memo did not entertain the possibility that additional evidence existed that officials were unaware of or had not reviewed.
Wednesday’s post did not specify when the Justice Department became aware of the newly uncovered files.
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In a letter last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche noted that Manhattan federal prosecutors already possessed over 3.6 million records from sex trafficking investigations involving Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, although many were duplicates of materials previously provided by the FBI.
The Justice Department indicated its lawyers are “working around the clock” to review the documents and redact victims’ names and other identifying information as mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law enacted last month requiring the government to open its files on Epstein and Maxwell.
“We will release the documents as soon as possible,” the department stated. “Due to the extensive volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks.” This announcement comes amid increasing scrutiny regarding the Justice Department’s staggered release of Epstein-related records, including critiques from Epstein victims and members of Congress.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, one of the primary authors of the law mandating the document release, posted on X on Wednesday, December 24: “DOJ did break the law by making illegal redactions and by missing the deadline.” Another key architect of the law, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, stated he and Massie would “continue to keep the pressure on,” noting that the Justice Department began releasing more documents after lawmakers threatened contempt.
“A Christmas Eve news dump of a million more files only reinforces what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive cover-up,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, commented following the DOJ’s announcement. “The question Americans deserve an answer to is straightforward: WHAT are they hiding — and WHY?” The White House defended the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein records on Wednesday.
“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 effectively implementing the President’s agenda,” spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.
Also read: Some pics and takeaways from the US Justice Department’s initial release of Epstein files
After releasing an initial set of records on Friday, the Justice Department posted additional batches on its website over the weekend and again on Tuesday. There has been no notification regarding when more records may be forthcoming.
The released records, including photographs, interview transcripts, call logs, court records, and other documents, were either already available to the public or significantly redacted, often lacking critical context. Previously unseen records include transcripts of grand jury testimony from FBI agents detailing interviews with several girls and young women who recounted being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.
Additionally, recent public records include a note from a federal prosecutor dated January 2020, indicating that Trump had flown on the financier’s private plane more frequently than previously known, along with emails from Maxwell to an individual who signs off with the initial “A.” These emails contain references suggesting the writer might be Britain’s former Prince Andrew.
In one email, “A” asks: “How’s LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?” The senators’ request on Wednesday for an inspector general audit arises days after Schumer proposed a resolution that, if passed, would instruct the Senate to file or join lawsuits aimed at compelling the Justice Department to adhere to the disclosure and deadline requirements.
In his statement, he characterized the staggered, extensively redacted release as “a blatant cover-up.” Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joined Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, in advocating for an inspector general audit. Additional signatories included Democratic Senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Adam Schiff of California, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, both of New Jersey, Gary Peters of Michigan, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
“Given the (Trump) Administration’s historic resistance to releasing the files, the politicization of the Epstein case more broadly, and the failure to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a neutral assessment of its compliance with the statutory disclosure requirements is essential,” the senators wrote. Full transparency, they asserted, “is vital for identifying individuals in our society who enabled and participated in Epstein’s crimes.”
