Nearly 50,000 Epstein Files Linked To Missing Records, Including Unverified Trump Allegations, May Be Released This Week

The United States Department of Justice (DoJ) is expected to release a new batch of documents related to the Epstein files later this week, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The upcoming release may include FBI records referencing a woman’s unverified allegations of sexual misconduct involving US President Donald Trump.

The report states that more than 40,000 files initially appeared to be missing from the documents published on the DoJ website. After the issue was highlighted, a Justice Department spokesperson said that 47,635 files had been temporarily removed for further review and are expected to be republished.

Among the withheld documents are FBI interview summaries, known as Form 302s. These records document meetings with a woman in 2019 who claimed that both Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump were involved in sexual misconduct with her when she was a minor during the 1980s.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the claims mentioned in these records have not been verified, similar to other allegations referenced in the initial January release. Trump has previously denied any wrongdoing and has said that the Epstein-related files “totally exonerated” him.

The Justice Department first released millions of pages of Epstein-related material on January 30 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The law mandates the disclosure of most government records connected to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Some interview notes about the woman were included in the initial release, including one in which she alleged that Epstein abused her in South Carolina. However, three additional FBI interview summaries — including those referencing Trump — were not published at that time.

The Justice Department has not provided a clear explanation for the omission. Officials have said the agency is reviewing whether certain files were incorrectly tagged during the disclosure process.

A department spokesperson said the review also aims to protect victims’ identities and remove sexually explicit images before the documents are made public.

“This is the most transparent Department of Justice in history,” a DoJ spokeswoman was quoted as saying, adding that all relevant records will be published once the necessary redactions are completed.

Under the transparency law, authorities are allowed to withhold documents if they are duplicates, protected by legal privilege, related to ongoing investigations, or unrelated to the Epstein and Maxwell cases. However, the law does not permit withholding records solely because they may embarrass public figures.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers in Congress have announced plans to investigate how the Epstein files have been handled.

The woman whose allegations appear in the documents also filed a lawsuit in 2019 against Epstein’s estate, claiming he abused her as a teenager and trafficked her to wealthy men. The lawsuit did not name any individuals and was voluntarily dismissed in 2021.

The Justice Department has also cautioned that some information submitted to the FBI by members of the public may contain false or unverified claims.

News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.