Donald Trump Makes Demand As Epstein File Dam Bursts

The U.S. Department of Justice has renewed its request to unseal grand-jury materials related to the investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, citing the recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates public disclosure of certain records. The move comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the so-called “Epstein files.”

On 24 November 2025, the Justice Department filed with a Manhattan federal court, seeking release of transcripts and exhibits from the grand-jury proceedings leading to Epstein’s 2019 indictment and Maxwell’s prosecution. The filing, signed by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and approved by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy AG Todd Blanche, argued that the new law overrides traditional grand-jury secrecy rules.

Previously, three courts rejected motions to unseal the materials, describing them as minimal, redundant, or unlikely to reveal new information. Judges also noted potential risks to victims’ privacy and safety. The current motion asserts that the statute constitutes an “extraordinary circumstance” justifying disclosure.

The documents in question are limited, including around 70 pages of transcript, a juror PowerPoint, call logs, and letters from victims. Earlier filings noted that grand-jury testimony was largely hearsay, provided by law-enforcement agents without direct knowledge of Epstein’s operations.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial, and Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal sentence for sex-trafficking minors. Public and political pressure for transparency remains high, with supporters citing the statute and media interest as reasons for disclosure.

Victims’ advocates stress that if materials are released, protections and redactions are essential. Legal analysts caution that grand-jury secrecy remains strong, and courts may still deny release despite the new law.

The renewed motion underscores the tension between public accountability, transparency, and victim privacy, highlighting the ongoing debate over how much information about Epstein’s network should be made public.