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The U.S. Department of Justice has acknowledged the discovery of more than one million additional documents potentially tied to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, significantly complicating and delaying the public release of files mandated under federal law. The revelation has intensified scrutiny of the DOJ, triggered bipartisan outrage on Capitol Hill, and raised fresh questions about transparency, accountability, and the pace of the review process.

The announcement comes after the Trump administration failed to meet a Dec. 19 deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law requiring the near-complete release of Epstein-related records with limited redactions. DOJ officials now say full disclosure may take several more weeks due to the sheer scale of newly identified material.

A massive cache of newly identified records

According to the Justice Department, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and the FBI recently informed DOJ leadership that more than one million additional documents may be connected to the Epstein investigation. The materials include records that were not previously identified during earlier review phases.

The department said legal teams are working continuously to review the documents and apply legally required redactions, primarily to protect victims and sensitive personal information. Officials emphasized that the volume of material has made immediate release impossible, pushing the timeline well beyond what Congress originally mandated.

This disclosure was made publicly on Christmas Eve, a timing that lawmakers from both parties criticized as an attempt to minimize public attention.

Lawmakers accuse DOJ of stonewalling

Members of Congress reacted swiftly and sharply. Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, accused the administration of obstructing transparency and shielding powerful individuals connected to Epstein.

Garcia and others argue that withholding such a large volume of documents violates federal law and undermines the purpose of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. He has formally called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before Congress and explain the delays.

The House Oversight Committee is already conducting its own inquiry into Epstein-related matters, adding another layer of pressure on the Justice Department.

Bipartisan senators push for an independent audit

The controversy escalated further when a bipartisan group of 12 U.S. senators formally requested an audit of the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein files. In a letter to Acting DOJ Inspector General Don Berthiaume, the senators said the department may be in violation of the transparency law passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in November.

The lawmakers contend that the DOJ has released documents already available in the public domain, while heavily redacting others in ways that appear to exceed the narrow exceptions permitted under the statute. They argue this pattern raises serious doubts about whether the department is complying with the law in good faith.

The senators emphasized that the inspector general’s office is uniquely positioned to conduct a neutral review, given its full access to DOJ records and internal processes.

Inspector general role under renewed focus

The request places new attention on the DOJ’s internal watchdog structure. While President Trump dismissed more than a dozen inspectors general across the federal government at the start of his second term, the DOJ’s longtime inspector general, Michael Horowitz, remained in place until June, when he departed to take a similar role at the Federal Reserve.

Berthiaume, appointed in October, now oversees the DOJ’s internal oversight function and would be responsible for determining whether the department complied with both the letter and spirit of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Rolling releases fuel frustration

Since the Dec. 19 deadline, the DOJ has released two batches of Epstein-related files. However, lawmakers across the political spectrum say the releases have been incomplete, slow, and inconsistent with statutory requirements.

In a letter to Congress, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that documents would be released on a rolling basis through the end of the year. That approach directly contradicts the law’s requirement for a comprehensive release by the deadline, and officials now acknowledge the process will extend into the new year.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the latest disclosure as confirmation of a broader cover-up, arguing that the public deserves clear answers about what remains hidden and why.

Contempt threats and legal action loom

The political consequences are escalating. Schumer has pledged to force a Senate vote on whether to pursue legal action against the DOJ to compel full disclosure. In the House, Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna have warned they may move to hold senior DOJ officials in inherent contempt if compliance does not improve.

Lawmakers stress that the law was written with survivors in mind, guaranteeing them transparency and accountability after years of secrecy surrounding Epstein’s crimes and associates.

Trump’s role and renewed controversy

President Trump’s relationship to the Epstein case has returned to the spotlight. Trump, who previously acknowledged a social relationship with Epstein in the 1990s, was largely absent from the DOJ’s initial document releases. However, a subsequent batch released this week included multiple references to him, including communications suggesting frequent travel on Epstein’s private aircraft during that period.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and the DOJ has stated that some claims involving the former president are unverified or false, noting that certain allegations were submitted to the FBI shortly before the 2020 election.

Despite publicly signaling openness to declassifying Epstein-related material during his 2024 campaign, Trump spent much of this year opposing legislative efforts that ultimately forced the DOJ’s hand. He has repeatedly dismissed the controversy as a hoax and pressured Republican lawmakers to withdraw support for the transparency legislation before ultimately endorsing it as passage became inevitable.

Survivors demand full transparency

At the center of the dispute are Epstein’s victims and survivors, whom lawmakers say have waited far too long for accountability. Advocates argue that partial disclosures and prolonged delays only deepen mistrust and prolong harm.

Lawmakers backing the audit insist that full transparency is essential to identifying enablers, uncovering institutional failures, and restoring public confidence in the justice system. While the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed with broad bipartisan support, continued delays have turned its implementation into a test of the DOJ’s credibility.

As the review process stretches into the new year, pressure is mounting on the Justice Department to deliver what Congress mandated and what survivors were promised: a complete, lawful, and transparent release of the Epstein files.