One month after the justice department’s congressionally mandated deadline to release all Jeffrey Epstein investigative files went unmet, victims’ advocates are expressing outrage over the department’s failure to comply with federal law.
Advocates have also indicated that they are not surprised, describing the justice department’s noncompliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act as yet another example of US officials failing to hold wrongdoers accountable in the ongoing saga.
“It has never been about the victims. It’s about powerful men covering up for each other, and that cover-up continues,” said Lisa Bloom, who has represented 11 Epstein survivors. “Shame on all those who are obstructing the victims getting the full release of all the files that they deserve.”
Jennifer Plotkin of Merson Law, which represents nearly three dozen Epstein survivors, voiced similar sentiments.
“The government continues to avoid accountability and disregards the victims,” Plotkin said. “It’s shocking that the government defends their inactions and relations with Epstein yet somehow claim to be transparent.”
“The Epstein Files Transparency Act could not have been clearer that the deadline for the release of the files with certain exceptions was 19 December. It is clear that the [justice department] has violated the act and that millions of files have not yet been released,” said Gloria Allred, an attorney who has represented more than 20 Epstein survivors.
Allred said she is glad that a judge has asked justice department attorneys why they have not complied with the order.
“For many of the victims, they are tired of the excuses, and they do not feel that there can be any good reason for not obeying the law. As lawyers we often say, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied,’” Allred continued. “There have been three decades of denial of justice for survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and the pattern of denial of justice continues in 2026 with no end in sight.
“Victims and survivors will need to continue to fight for justice or they will never achieve it.”
Under bipartisan lawmakers’ Epstein Files Transparency Act, Donald Trump’s justice department was required to release all investigative files related to the late sex child sex trafficker on 19 December. This date stemmed from a provision under the law mandating these files be released within 30 days of its passage.
Trump signed this act into law after months of uproar over his administration’s handling of the Epstein files. On the campaign trail and early into his presidency, Trump vowed to release the Epstein files.
This promise was especially important to many far-right members of Trump’s base. A sizable cohort believes that Epstein was able to abuse teen girls for years due to his associations with powerful men, such as Bill Clinton and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former duke of York; both men have denied wrongdoing in relation to the late financier.
Epstein’s high-profile associates also included Trump. The president has denied wrongdoing related to Epstein, and contends he cut off his friendship years before Epstein’s crimes were known publicly.
Trump, who since assuming office for the second time had power to compel release of these files but opted against doing so, ultimately signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act after months of bipartisan pressure.
“We have nothing to hide,” Trump said in relation to his green-lighting this legislation. “It’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat ‘Shutdown’.”
While some files were disclosed on 19 December, subsequent disclosures which followed – coming after the deadline – represented a mere fraction of what justice department officials admitted to exist. Justice department attorneys said in a 5 January court filing that they had uploaded 12,285 documents to the justice department website, totaling approximately 125,575 pages, pursuant to the law.
But justice department lawyers said in this same letter that department staff had found “more than 2 million documents potentially responsive to the act that are in various phases of review”. The act’s co-sponsors, California Democrat representative Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican representative Thomas Massie, have suggested the appointment of a special master to shepherd disclosures. The justice department opposed their request in a subsequent court filing.
Demands for an explanation of justice department’s failure are growing, as is support for a special master.
“The [justice department’s] failure to abide by the 30-day deadline imposed in the Epstein Files Transparency Act is a direct, flat violation of the statutory requirement. It is also a breach of the public trust,” Jennifer Freeman of Marsh Law, who represents Epstein victim Maria Farmer, said. “Since the [justice department] previously advised months ago that they in fact had possession of the Epstein files, the [justice department] should explain the reasons for this failure and ensure prompt production of all documents.”
A special master or inspector general, Freeman said, “could oversee compliance with the deadline”.
“However, especially in light of the importance of restoring public trust in federal institutions, compliance with the act should be overseen, audited and evaluated to address not only timeliness but also redactions and the completeness of the production.”
