Epstein Files Transparency Act

President Trump signed the "Epstein Files Transparency Act" into law on November 19, 2025. The legislation requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified documents and records related to Jeffrey Epstein within 30 days.

Details of the Act

• Mandate: The law, introduced as H.R. 4405, compels the Attorney General to make publicly available "all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials" related to the DOJ's investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, including the FBI and U.S. Attorney's offices.

• Deadline: The Act set a deadline for the initial release of the files as December 19, 2025.

• Redactions and Exceptions: The law allows the DOJ to redact or withhold certain information, specifically anything that would personally identify victims, endanger an active federal investigation, or compromise national security. However, redactions cannot be made solely to avoid embarrassment or reputational harm to public figures.

• Legislative Path: The bill passed the House with an overwhelming 427-1 vote and the Senate by unanimous consent, demonstrating broad bipartisan support despite initial resistance from the Trump administration.

• Initial Release: The DOJ began releasing an initial trove of several hundred thousand files on December 19, 2025, but indicated that due to the sheer volume of material (over 300 gigabytes of data), the full release would occur on a rolling basis over the following weeks. 

Key Point

Redactions cannot be made solely to avoid embarrassment or reputational harm to public figures.

Instead of a full release, Bondi reportedly released about 7 percent, most of it hugely redacted.