Truth behind why Epstein files weren’t released under the Biden administration

Many Republicans are questioning why the Epstein files were not released sooner, especially now that Donald Trump has signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law.

For years, the Trump administration faced pressure to disclose nearly all Department of Justice documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, who in 2019 was charged with sex trafficking minors and conspiracy. Epstein died in jail that same year in what was officially ruled a suicide.

However, concerns about Epstein stretched back much further. Investigations began in 2005 after accusations that he had abused underage girls. In 2008 he pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution, including with a minor, and received an 18-month sentence through a controversial plea deal.

Because Epstein had been investigated for so long, authorities are believed to hold thousands of related documents. The Trump administration has agreed to release most of them, though some material will remain sealed because it contains sensitive images and videos involving victims, according to the DOJ.

This has prompted widespread debate online, with many asking why the Biden administration did not publish the files earlier. Lawmakers such as Tim Burchett accused Democrats of blocking attempts to disclose them.

Investigative journalist Julie K. Brown clarified that the real reason for the delay was the ongoing nature of the cases. During Biden’s presidency, investigations into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were still active, and the case remained under appeal even after Maxwell’s conviction.

Brown added that new victims continued coming forward, and the DOJ kept the case open until Trump’s Justice Department closed it in July. Under federal guidelines, an attorney general can withhold information that might compromise an active investigation.