#epstein
17 entries with this tag
Trump Signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act Under Pressure, Then His DOJ Defied Both the Law and a Federal Judge's Order to Release the Files — the Same Associate Attorney General Just Referred for Discipline in the IRS Case Asked the Court to Ignore Its Own Deadline
In November 2025, under intense bipartisan and public pressure, Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which ordered the Justice Department to release all files connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation by December 19. His administration has spent the months since not complying. After journalist Katie Phang sued over withheld materials, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan ruled the administration had likely violated the Transparency Act and ordered the DOJ to release and unredact the disputed files or explain why they must stay hidden. Hours before the deadline, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward — the same official a federal judge referred for bar discipline days earlier over the sham IRS settlement — asked Sullivan to delay the deadline by 60 days or disregard it entirely. The DOJ then formally declined to hand over additional unredacted files, claiming the redactions were appropriate and protected victims. Among the disputed materials, according to reporting, are FBI interview notes from a woman who alleged she was forced to perform a sex act on Trump in the 1980s after meeting him through Epstein — an allegation that is uncorroborated and that Trump has strongly denied. Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, frustrated that the department was withholding files it was legally required to disclose while survivors' names leaked out, introduced a second bill — the Epstein Files Transparency Act II. The throughline: a president who signed a transparency law to quiet a scandal, then had his Justice Department defy the law, a court, and Congress to keep the files sealed.
Leon Black Testifies He Paid Epstein $158 Million, Refuses to Answer NDA Questions, Gets Subpoenaed Mid-Interview — Judge Finds Trump's Acting AG "Conceded" He's Violating Epstein Files Law, Orders Unredaction of Trump Sexual Assault Allegation and "Torture Video" Emails
Billionaire Leon Black, co-founder of Apollo Global Management, testified before the House Oversight Committee and admitted paying Jeffrey Epstein $158 million — 30 to 60 times more than he paid other advisors for similar work. He claimed he "knew Jekyll, didn't know Hyde," said Epstein told him the fees were tax-deductible "60-cent dollars" (they weren't), and acknowledged continuing the relationship five years after Epstein's 2008 guilty plea to sex crimes involving a minor. When pressed on nondisclosure agreements — including one involving a six-year affair with a Russian model where Epstein advised Black on silencing her — Black refused to answer and was described by Democrats as having "stormed out." Chairman Comer issued two subpoenas on the spot: one for Black's NDAs, another for a videotaped deposition under oath on July 16. "Please call Leon Black" appears over 300 times in Epstein's files. Black's name appears 8,000+ times. He paid $62.5 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to avoid prosecution and explicitly acknowledged his money funded Epstein's sex trafficking operation. Three women have accused him of rape on Epstein properties — one was 16 with a rare form of Down syndrome. Meanwhile, federal judge Emmet Sullivan found that acting AG Todd Blanche "has conceded that he is in violation" of the Epstein Files Transparency Act and ordered the DOJ to unredact files by July 2 — including an FBI interview with a woman who alleged Trump sexually assaulted her as a teenager after Epstein introduced them (the FBI found her credible and interviewed her four times), and emails about a "torture video" involving sexual activity with minors. A New York Times report revealed VP Vance held Situation Room meetings to coordinate the White House's Epstein cover-up strategy, appearing "panicked" about the MAGA base's reaction. The Situation Room — designed for national security emergencies — became the nerve center for managing the Epstein crisis all summer, with Trump himself refusing to attend because he "snapped at anyone who mentioned it."
Epstein's Assistant of 18 Years Testifies She Arranged Regular Calls Between Trump and Epstein — Claims She "Never Saw Anything Improper"
Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's executive assistant for 18 years, testified behind closed doors before the House Oversight Committee. She told lawmakers she arranged phone calls between Trump and Epstein "about once a quarter" before their alleged falling out. She claimed she "never saw anything improper" despite scheduling massages with young women and girls — the very mechanism Epstein used to recruit victims. Her name appears 164,000 times in DOJ records. She was listed as a potential co-conspirator in the 2008 non-prosecution deal. One survivor said Groff called her so often she dropped out of high school. Rep. Lynch called her denials "highly inconsistent." Rep. Ansari said the transcript is full of "I don't recall, I don't know." The committee referred two names to DOJ. Bill Gates testifies Wednesday. The House chaplain attended the interview for unexplained "pastoral care."
$32 Million to Destroy a Republican: Trump's Revenge Primary Succeeds — Massie Is Out After 7 Terms
Trump-backed Ed Gallrein defeated seven-term Rep. Thomas Massie in the most expensive House primary in U.S. history ($32M+). Massie's offenses: voting to release Epstein files and voting his conscience. Defense Secretary Hegseth personally campaigned for the challenger. The message to every Republican in Congress: independence from Trump will be punished, at any cost.
Trump Fires Attorney General Pam Bondi — Second Cabinet Secretary Ousted
Trump fired AG Pam Bondi after the birthright citizenship humiliation at SCOTUS, Epstein files mishandling, failed prosecutions of Letitia James (3 grand jury refusals), and accidentally releasing damning evidence against Trump. Second Cabinet secretary fired after Noem.
Bondi's DOJ Withheld Epstein Files Containing Allegations About Trump and a 13-Year-Old
NPR found the DOJ removed and withheld Epstein files specifically containing allegations that Trump sexually abused a 13-year-old. Only the files mentioning Trump were excluded. The DOJ claimed they were "duplicates."
Commerce Secretary Lutnick Visited Epstein's Island and Was in Business with Him
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick maintained 13 years of contact with Epstein, visited his island 4 years after his sex crimes conviction, and co-invested in a company with him — despite previously claiming he cut ties in 2005.
Bipartisan Lawmakers: "At Least Six Men" Protected by Improper Epstein Redactions
Reps. Massie (R) and Khanna (D), co-authors of the Epstein Files Act, reviewed unredacted files and said at least six men were being illegally shielded by DOJ redactions. The DOJ also accidentally exposed 43+ victims' identities.
Trump Threatened MTG After She Pushed Epstein Files: "My Friends Will Get Hurt"
After Greene signed the Epstein files petition, Trump called and yelled at her, warning his "friends will get hurt." He revoked his endorsement, called her "Marjorie Traitor Greene." She received death threats from MAGA — including a pipe bomb. She resigned from Congress.
Trump Pressured Republicans for Months to Block Epstein File Release
Trump personally called lawmakers, the White House summoned Boebert to the Situation Room, and Speaker Johnson shut down the House early — all to block the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Trump only flipped the night before the vote when defeat was certain.
Convicted Sex Trafficker Maxwell Moved to "Club Fed" — One Week After Exonerating Trump
One week after telling Trump's former lawyer that Trump was "never inappropriate," Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security "Club Fed" with no fences or guard towers. Former BOP officials called it "unprecedented" and "totally inappropriate" for a sex offender. Victims: "This smacks of a cover-up."
Trump's Former Lawyer Interviewed Maxwell — She Exonerated Trump, Got Transferred to "Club Fed" Days Later
Deputy AG Todd Blanche — Trump's former personal defense attorney — personally interviewed convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell for two days. She said Trump was "never inappropriate." Days later, she was moved to a minimum-security "Club Fed." Victims called it "a cover-up."
BOP Shredded "Huge Amounts" of Epstein Jail Documents Days After His Death
FBI documents revealed that a BOP "After-Actions team" shredded bags of documents at Epstein's jail just 5 days after his death — while multiple investigations were active. A corrections officer reported it as suspicious. The dumpster was never checked.
Epstein Died Under AG Barr: Cameras Failed, Guards Slept, Cellmate Removed
Jeffrey Epstein died in a federal jail under AG Barr's DOJ with an extraordinary series of failures: two cameras malfunctioned, guards slept for 3 hours, his cellmate was removed the day before, and he'd been taken off suicide watch after just 6 days.
Appointed Acosta — Who Gave Epstein the Sweetheart Plea Deal — as Labor Secretary
Trump made Alexander Acosta his Labor Secretary — the same prosecutor who gave Epstein a "completely unprecedented" deal: immunity from federal charges, 13 months in jail with daily work release, and secret immunity for all co-conspirators.
"Jane Doe" Alleged Trump Raped Her at 13 at Epstein's Apartment — Dropped After Death Threats
A woman using the pseudonym "Jane Doe" filed a federal lawsuit alleging Trump raped her at age 13 at Epstein's Manhattan apartment in 1994. A press conference was cancelled and the case was dropped days before the 2016 election after she received death threats.
Trump's 15-Year Friendship with Jeffrey Epstein: "He Likes Them on the Younger Side"
Trump maintained a 15-year friendship with Epstein, flew on his plane 7+ times, hosted a Mar-a-Lago party where only Trump and Epstein were the male guests with 28 women, and praised him publicly — noting Epstein likes women "on the younger side."