After days of drama and anticipation over the promised release of classified documents many hoped would shed light on disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, no major revelations have been made as the “thousands” of documents Attorney General Pamela Bondi accused the FBI of withholding have still not been made public.
Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the FBI to deliver "thousands" of Jeffrey Epstein-related ... [+]
Bondi, in a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel on Thursday, said an unnamed source told her the FBI’s New York field office retained “thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein,” requesting these documents be sent to her office by Friday at 8 a.m.
More than 24 hours after Bondi’s deadline, it’s unclear whether the FBI transferred these additional documents to the Department of Justice, and no additional information has been released to the public despite wide anticipation.
The lack of big revelations has frustrated lawmakers and conservative activists, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., who said Thursday the release of information that was largely already known is “a complete disappointment.”
The release of Epstein-related documents has long been anticipated, particularly among those who believe these files may contain names of big celebrities who may have known about or participated in Epstein’s crimes, though some have criticized the internet’s fixation on the alleged “Epstein list,” including investigative reporter Julie K. Brown, who covered Epstein’s crimes for the Miami Herald, who called it a “figment of the internet's imagination.”
President Donald Trump, while campaigning for the 2024 election, said on Lex Fridman’s podcast he would be “inclined” to release any classified Epstein-related documents (Trump was named in flight logs as having flown on Epstein’s private jets at least seven times in the 1990s, though there is no evidence linking Trump to any of Epstein’s crimes).
Forbes has reached out to the Department of Justice and the FBI for comment.
The lack of any new bombshells has frustrated critics across both parties, including conservative influencers and members of Congress. Laura Loomer, a Trump ally known for pushing conspiracy theories, tweeted Thursday the “American people can’t trust the validity of the Epstein files released today,” stating the document release was handled in an “unprofessional manner.” Loomer slammed the Justice Department for giving conservative influencers large binders labeled “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” and “The Most Transparent Administration in History” ahead of the document release. Loomer placed the blame on Bondi in another post, stating she should resign. “You were promised the full Epstein files. You got this,” Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., tweeted alongside a picture of a fully redacted document. Dave Portnoy, founder of the popular Barstool media company who supported Trump in 2024, questioned why the “release of the Epstein list always a shit show,” also criticizing the United States becoming a “safe haven for the Tate brothers,” referring to controversial influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who arrived in Florida this week despite facing sex trafficking and rape charges in Romania.
Following Bondi’s letter accusing the FBI of withholding information from the Department of Justice, Patel posted on X, without naming Bondi or the Epstein drama, that the FBI is entering a “new era” in which there will be “no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned.” Patel said if “records have been hidden, we will uncover them,” and anyone who “undermines this will be swiftly pursued.”
Many of the files released by the Justice Department this week had already been public for years or were heavily redacted. Epstein, who allegedly abused underage girls and women and was indicted in federal court in 2019 for sex trafficking, has long been subject to wide speculation and conspiracy theories, including a conspiracy that he did not actually commit suicide in jail in 2019 and was killed, though there is no evidence supporting this theory. Epstein’s association with celebrities and political elite have sparked online interest in the so-called “Epstein list,” which some believe may point fingers at those who knew about or participated in his crimes, but it’s unclear what additional documents relating to Epstein may be released or whether they would incriminate any celebrities. Some powerful people with alleged links to Epstein include former President Bill Clinton, who appeared on flight logs but has denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes, and Prince Andrew, who was accused of sexual assault by an alleged Epstein victim and settled a civil case with her in court.
Attorney General Pam Bondi Accuses FBI Of Withholding Jeffrey Epstein Files—What To Know (Forbes)