Regardless of Congress overwhelmingly passing a invoice requiring the Justice Division to launch its information on convicted intercourse offender Jeffrey Epstein, and even when President Donald Trump indicators it into legislation, it’s unclear when — and even whether or not — the general public will see these information, or how full they could be.
Lawyer Common Pam Bondi speaks with reporters throughout a information convention on the Division of Justice, Nov. 19, 2025, in Washington, as Deputy Lawyer Common Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel, look on.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP
Requested Wednesday how she would reply to Congress, Lawyer Common Pam Bondi mentioned, “We’ve launched over 33,000 Epstein paperwork to the Hill, and we are going to proceed to comply with the legislation and to have most transparency.” She spoke at an unrelated information convention alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Lawyer Common Todd Blanche.
The invoice contains a number of exceptions to a full launch that would complicate or delay disclosure.
Timing
The measure says the Justice Division has as much as 30 days from its signing to make “publicly out there in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified data, paperwork, communications, and investigative supplies within the possession of the Division of Justice, together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorneys’ Places of work, that relate to Jeffrey Epstein together with all investigations, prosecutions, or custodial issues.”
The U.S. Capitol on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., November 13, 2025.
Nathan Howard/Reuters
If Trump indicators the invoice on Wednesday, the division would doubtlessly have till Dec. 19 to launch the Epstein investigation data.
Attainable redactions, different data withheld
The Justice Division “might withhold or redact” the identities and “private and medical information,” of Epstein’s victims, the invoice states.
“We’ll proceed to comply with the legislation whereas defending victims,” Bondi repeated, when pressed by reporters.
“We’re going to guard victims, and the legislation as written permits us to try this. You understand, the legislation has carve outs to guard victims and to guard data surrounding victims, which is what we do, not solely on this case, however in however in each case,” Blanche added.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned he has informed the president the invoice doesn’t do sufficient to guard victims from being recognized.
The DOJ may withhold materials that “would represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of non-public privateness” or “depicts or comprises baby sexual abuse,” in keeping with the invoice.
Nevertheless, the invoice does comprise language that stipulates, “no document shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the idea of embarrassment, reputational hurt, or political sensitivity, together with to any authorities official, public determine, or overseas dignitary”
‘Energetic’ investigations
The measure additionally states the Lawyer Common might withhold or redact data that “would jeopardize an lively federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, offered that such withholding is narrowly tailor-made and non permanent.”
For any supplies it chooses to withhold or redact DOJ is required, inside 15 days of their public launch, to stipulate their justifications for doing so.
Lawyer Common Pam Bondi speaks through the announcement of a legislation enforcement motion as Deputy Lawyer Common Todd Blanche listens throughout a press convention on the Division of Justice in Washington, November 19, 2025.
Tom Brenner/Reuters
The invoice’s exception relating to an “lively investigation” might embody the brand new probe of any connections high Democrats needed to Epstein that Trump ordered Bondi to pursue final Friday.
Requested by ABC Information Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas about her July assertion {that a} evaluate of the paperwork and the proof at that time didn’t recommend that any extra investigation of third events was warranted, Bondi responded there may be “new data, extra data.”
“We’ll proceed to comply with the legislation to analyze any leads. If there are any victims, we encourage all victims to return ahead,” she mentioned, with out offering any specifics, citing a pending investigation within the Southern District of New York.
When he reversed his place opposing the congressional vote on releasing the information on Sunday, Trump’s submit notably included qualifying language, that the Home “can have no matter they’re legally entitled to.”
-ABC Information’ Alexander Mallin, Allison Pecorin, Lauren Peller and John Parkinson contributed to this report.
