Will Pam Bondi release full Epstein files? The AG has doubters.

The responsibility to releasethe so-called "Epstein files"by Dec. 19 falls on the shoulders of a Trump administration official whoalready once did an about-facewhen it comes to transparency about Jeffrey Epstein:Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Lawyers for victims and several members of Congress told USA TODAY they aren't confident Bondi will provide unbiased transparency, especially when it comes to people associated with the late sex offender, who died in jail in 2019.

Survivors "are now being asked to trust a process that has no independent verification from an agency that's being dictated to by a president who has been included in the documents themselves," said Spencer Kuvin, a Florida lawyer who has represented several alleged Epstein victims over nearly two decades.

See emotional reactions to Epstein files bill clearing Congress in rare moment of unity

Undera law passed by Congress, the attorney generalmust release the Justice Department's recordsabout people tied to Epstein's criminal activities, his legal settlements, and Epstein-related investigative proceedings. The exceptions to that mandate are narrow: Bondi is allowed to shield material that identifies a victim, depicts abuse, would jeopardize an ongoing investigation, or is classified.

Bondi once seemed eager to release the files. She toldtold Fox News host Sean Hannityon Mar. 3 that members of the Biden administration didn't believe in transparency or honesty when it came to the files, but with the new administration, "everything's going to come out to the public."

In May, however, Bondi reportedly informedPresident Donald Trump, a former friend of Epstein's, that his name appeared in the files. In July, the Justice Department announced it wouldn't be disclosing anything more.

More:How Trump and 'terrific guy' Jeffrey Epstein's party boy friendship ended badly

Backlash to that announcement spurred lawmakers to force Bondi's hand with the Dec. 19 mandate.

"If they don't (release everything), then we're going to have to revisit it, and we're going to have to pass more bills on the floor," Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick said to USA TODAY.

The Justice Department didn't respond to a request for comment.

Holes in the Epstein transparency law?

Several lawyers pointed to the exceptions within the Epstein transparency law as areas the DOJ could exploit to avoid a nonpartisan, full release. For instance, the DOJ may temporarily withhold information if releasing it would jeopardize an active investigation.

According toits July memo, that shouldn't be an issue: the department said it had reviewed its files on Epstein and "did not uncover evidence" that could justify investigating anyone who wasn't previously charged."

However, after Democrats in Congress released emails in which Epstein alleged Trump"knew about the girls,"Trumpposted on social mediain November that he would be asking the Justice Department toinvestigate Epstein's relationship with prominent Democrats. Bondi respondedin a public postthat she had appointed a prosecutor "to take the lead" and the department "will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American people."

That could mean the DOJ now says there is already an open investigation. And there's nothing to stop investigators from opening yet another one.

"That's a very broad exception," Sarah Krissoff, a former Manhattan federal prosecutor, told USA TODAY. "Opening a file on it is the easiest thing to do in the world."

The transparency law also allows the DOJ to withhold child sexual abuse material and personal information on victims, including their identities.

Epstein abuse survivor Danielle Bensky holds up a photo of her younger self during a news conference with lawmakers on the Epstein Files Transparency Act outside the U.S. Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. The House is expected to vote today on the legislation, which instructs the U.S. Department of Justice to release all files related to the late accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

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Alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein rally at Capitol Hill to demand release of files

Epstein abuse survivor Danielle Bensky holds up a photo of her younger self during a news conference with lawmakers onthe Epstein Files Transparency Actoutside the U.S. Capitol on November 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.The House is expected to vote today on the legislation, which instructs the U.S. Department of Justice to release all files related to the late accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Those protections for victims are crucial, several lawyers for survivors said. But Kuven said he also worries the Justice Department may shield perpetrators by labeling them as victims.

"People who were involved are now attempting to avoid responsibility by shielding themselves with the moniker of 'survival,'" Kuven said. "One of my clients specifically was brought to the home and recruited by someone who now claims to be a survivor."

The law also allows the DOJ to withhold classified national defense information, although Congress must be informed if any information was classified after July 1.

Why public trust around Epstein is so low

The long history of the Justice Department's handling of Epstein's crimes has led lawyers for victims to question its commitment to full accountability.

In the 2000s, law enforcement identified many underage girls whom Epstein had allegedly sexually abused. Federal law enforcement drafted an indictment that included potential charges for sex trafficking minors and having unlawful sex with minors. Convictions on those charges could have landed Epstein in prison for decades.

Instead, Alex Acosta, the lead federal prosecutor in the Southern District of Florida, arranged a deal in 2007 that allowed Epstein to plead guilty the following year to two state prostitution offenses and be sentenced to just 18 months behind bars. He ultimately served 13 months, with extensive work release allowances during that time. The deal included provisions to shield any Epstein accomplices from future prosecution and victims were only told about it after the fact. Trump laterappointed Acosta the U.S. Labor Secretaryin his first presidential administration.

Explosive2018 reporting by the Miami Heraldabout the deal brought Epstein's alleged crimes into the spotlight, and led toAcosta's resignation. Epstein's close contact over the years with famous figures such as Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and former Prince Andrew fueled speculation that the sex offender had been protected in order to shield other powerful people. Trump, Clinton, and the former prince –who was stripped of his royal title in 2025as part of the Epstein fallout – have all denied wrongdoing.

In 2019, Epstein was jailed in New York on federal sex trafficking charges. But before the case could go to trial, he was found dead in a Manhattan jail cell. A medical examinerruled the death a suicide, and the Justice Departmentbacked that conclusion in July. Still, speculation has swirled online about whether Epstein could have been killed to silence him.

Only after Epstein's demise, federal law enforcement arrested and prosecuted Epstein's former girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, for crimes that took place in the 2000s. She was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for sex trafficking a minor, among other offenses.

Apart from Jean-Luc Brunel, a modeling agent who wasfound hanged in his jail cellafter being charged in France with supplying minors to Epstein, no one else has been prosecuted in connection with him.

"Right now, the victims don't trust anything that the federal government says or does, and they have fair reason not to," said Kuvin, who has represented several alleged victims, including a 14-year-old girl who spoke to authorities in the mid-2000s.

'Cherry picking in terms of who gets outed'

Trump waffled about what he would release on Epstein before the last presidential election. In a June, 2024interview on "Fox & Friends Weekend," he said he would "go a long way toward" allowing the files to be declassified. However, he also said, "I think that less so because, you know, you don't know if, you don't want to affect people's lives if it's phony stuff in there, cause there's a lot of phony stuff with that whole world."

Since Bondi reportedly told him in May that he appears in the files and the DOJ announced in July it wouldn't be disclosing more out of concern for victims, Trump repeatedly threw cold water on the idea of full transparency.

"Are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable," the president said at a July 8 cabinet meeting, after a reporter asked Bondi about "lingering mysteries" surrounding Epstein. Trump called the question"a desecration,"given other issues facing the country.

On July 15,Trump told reporters the files were "made up"by people who oppose him, naming former PresidentsBarack ObamaandJoe Biden, as well as former FBI Director James Comey.

Later that same day, hevoiced frustration about ongoing interest in Epstein.

"It's sordid, but it's boring, and I don't understand why it keeps going," he said. "But credible information, let them give it. Anything that's credible, I would say, let them have it."

House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos on Dec. 12, 2025, from Jeffrey Epstein's email that show Epstein with high-profile figures including Steve Bannon. Some images have had portions redacted by the Committee.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos on Dec. 12, 2025, from Jeffrey Epstein's email that show Epstein with Woody Allen.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos on Dec. 12, 2025, from Jeffrey Epstein's email, including this one showing Richard Branson, on the right.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show President Donald Trump with Epstein.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, show Bill Gates with an unidentified person.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show Steve Bannon with Epstein.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show Epstein with Alan Dershowitz.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show Steve Bannon with Epstein.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> House Democrats on the Oversight Committee released photos from Jeffrey Epstein's email on Dec. 12, 2025, that show former President Bill Clinton and Ghislaine Maxwell with Epstein on Dec. 12, 2025.

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High-profile figures in Epstein's emails: See newly released images

House Democrats on the Oversight Committeereleased photos on Dec. 12, 2025, from Jeffrey Epstein's emailthat show Epstein with high-profile figures including Steve Bannon. Some images have had portions redacted by the Committee.

On July 17, theWall Street Journal reportedthat Trump sent Epstein a lewd birthday letter for his 50th birthday, which took place in early 2003. Trumpcalled the letter a "FAKE"on social media andsued the newspaper's publisher for libelthe next day.

On Nov. 14, after Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released emails in which Epstein alleged Trump "knew about the girls" and said, "I am the one able to take him down," Trumpposted on social mediathat he would be asking the DOJ toinvestigate Epstein's relationship with prominent Democrats, including Clinton.

Bondi quickly complied ina social media post, thanking Trump and saying she had asked a Manhattan DOJ official "to take the lead."

Congress overwhelmingly passed the Epstein transparency bill, by margins that could have overcome a presidential veto. But Trump signed the bill into law Nov. 19,posting on social mediathat he was responsible for the strong congressional support and, "Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed."

Despite the Trump administration's past resistance, Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who co-sponsored the Epstein transparency legislation, told USA TODAY he has so far seen the Justice Department making an effort. He noted that the DOJ hassuccessfully requested permissionfrom multiple judges to release grand jury materials from criminal cases against Epstein and Maxwell.

"I'm not going to jump to a conclusion that they're not complying until we see what they release," Khanna said.

Larry Summers
Summers, a former Treasury secretary and ex-president of Harvard University, appeared to seek advice from Epstein about a romantic relationship he was interested in initiating with a female economist he described as a "mentee." In an email message on Nov. 20, 2018, the female economist appears to ask Summers about edits on a research paper. Summers forwards the email to Epstein and says, "Think no response for awhile probably appropriate." Epstein responds, "she's already beginning (sic) to sound needy :) nice." Summers' email correspondence lasted from November 2018 through July 5, 2019, according to The Harvard Crimson. The Miami Herald's blockbuster expose on Epstein ran in November 2018. A federal court decision in February 2019 paved the way for federal charges against Epstein, and he was indicted on July 6, 2019. Epstein died by suicide about a month later while awaiting trial.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Elisa New
Elisa New, who has been married to Summers, left, since 2005, sent Epstein a copy of an invitation to an unnamed event on Nov. 25, 2018. She is an American literature professor at Harvard and also discussed literature with him. She says in one message that she is going on a trip to Australia and will read a copy of "Lolita" by Vladimir Nabokov. The book is about a 30-something married scholar and his sexual obsession with a 12-year-old girl. People later named Epstein's private plane, which flight logs show ferried VIPs and women all over the world, "The Lolita Express." New then recommends he read "My Antonia" next time he's on a long plane trip. "The prose is gorgeous, and the book has Ð come to think of it Ð similar themes to Lolita in that it's about a man whose whole life is stamped forever by his impression of a young girl."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Lawrence Krauss
The physicist Lawrence Krauss, who wrote "The Physics of Star Trek," messaged Epstein to ask for advice when a reporter with BuzzFeed News contacted him about sexual harassment allegations he was facing. Versions of these allegations were later published. "I did neck with that woman, but never forced myself on her, and we talked about kissing or going beyond that and decided not to," Krauss writes to Epstein Dec. 11, 2017. He includes a lengthy list of events in his account of the encounter that prompted the inquiry and asks if he should respond to the reporter. Epstein asks if Krauss had sex with the accuser and for the details of the encounter if it did happen. He then concludes: "I wouldn't respond. My advice is consistent. Off the record." Krauss writes: "We didn't have sex. Decided it wasn't a good idea."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Steve Bannon
On Nov. 16, 2018, Steve Bannon, who was a top White House aide during President Donald Trump's first term, alerts Epstein that he is going to miss a flight at London's Heathrow Airport. Epstein responds: "There. Is a gulf air that leaves at 950 with a stop in Bahrain," before following up, "Arrives. 1130." Bannon responds: "U r an amazing assistant." The two sent many emails back and forth throughout 2018, some simply sharing news articles. Records also show Epstein scheduled a 7 a.m. breakfast with Bannon on Feb. 16, 2019. By that time, Epstein knew he was under federal investigation.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jonathan Farkas
Jonathan Farkas, a scion of the Alexander's department store family and the husband of Trump's ambassador to Malta, emailed Epstein on May 8, 2017. He asks what Epstein thinks of a woman he is seeing who is not his wife. "careful she is nottrustworthy at ALLL," Epstein writes.) "a 2 timer?" asks Farkas. "worse," Epstein says. "Jeffrey please help me here is she a hooker," Farkas asks. Epstein's response: "alcoholic . drugs. unstable . consumate liar. CAREFUL"

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Michael Wolff
Journalist Michael Wolff emailed Epstein on Oct. 29, 2016, days before Trump was first elected president. He was writing a book about Trump's 2016 campaign "There's an opportunity to come forward this week and talk about Trump in such a way that could garner you great sympathy and help finish him," Wolff writes. "Interested?" There's no indication in the emails that Epstein responded or that he acted on Wolff's request. The president has said he ended his friendship with Epstein many years prior to this exchange. On Feb. 1, 2019, Epstein sent Wolff a 5 a.m. typo-ridden email about the federal investigation into his conduct. He describes some activity that lines up with what his accusers have said they were forced to do for money but downplays other allegations. "there were many girls," he wrote. "the girls retunred (sic) the house multiplie times for 200 dollars for a rub and tug. . no sex . . . some worked in the locak massage parlors, most in thier mid twenties." Transparency Note: Michael Wolff was a freelance USA TODAY contributor from 2012 to early 2017. USA TODAY had no knowledge of any relationship between him and Jeffrey Epstein, nor any actions beyond his submissions for publication. We are committed to integrity and transparency, as we uphold our editorial standards and maintain the trust of our readers.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Boris Nikolic
Epstein emailed biotech venture capitalist Boris Nikolic in January 2010 to ask about a conference in Switzerland, according to PBS. Nikolic writes in the email chain that he met Epstein's friends, former President Bill Clinton and then-Prince Andrew. Later, he writes that he is getting sick of meetings, and, "it would be blast that you are here." "I was just flirting with 22 years old hot blond blue eyes mexican chick," Nikolic writes. "It turns out she is with her husband. Did not have chance to check him out. But as we concluded, anything good is rented;)"

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Elon Musk
Epstein's schedule for Dec. 6, 2014, says: "Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)" After Forbes covered the purported island trip in September 2025, Musk posted a response on social media: "This is false." Musk told Vanity Fair in 2019 that he visited Epstein at his house in Manhattan years before "for about 30 minutes." "We did not see anything inappropriate at all, apart from weird art," Musk said. "He tried repeatedly to get me to visit his island. I declined."

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See some of the people named in the Jeffrey Epstein emails

Larry SummersSummers, a former Treasury secretary and ex-president of Harvard University, appeared to seek advice from Epstein about a romantic relationship he was interested in initiating with a female economist he described as a "mentee." In an email message on Nov. 20, 2018, the female economist appears to ask Summers about edits on a research paper. Summers forwards the email to Epstein and says, "Think no response for awhile probably appropriate." Epstein responds, "she's already beginning (sic) to sound needy :) nice." Summers' email correspondence lasted from November 2018 through July 5, 2019, according to The Harvard Crimson. The Miami Herald's blockbuster expose on Epstein ran in November 2018. A federal court decision in February 2019 paved the way for federal charges against Epstein, and he was indicted on July 6, 2019. Epstein died by suicide about a month later while awaiting trial.

Brad Edwards, a lawyer for numerous alleged victims of Epstein, said he'd like to believe a nonpartisan release will happen this time, but that the Trump administration "has shown itself to be the most politically motivated administration, probably, that we've ever seen in so many different ways."

"I think it's going to be some cherry picking in terms of who gets outed and who doesn't, and unfortunately, it's going to be based on politics," Edwards told USA TODAY.

Could DOJ have gotten rid of documents?

Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are also concerned that documents could be missing by the time of the release. They haveasked the acting inspector generalfor the Justice Department to conduct an audit of the forms that track the Epstein files in the government's possession, to make sure the materials set to be released are identical to what law enforcement collected.

Schiff told USA TODAY he hasn't gotten a response to that request yet.

"We want to be certain that the administration is not going to be concealing any of those files, any of the documents, any of the recordings, any photographs, for any reason other than protecting the privacy of the victims," he said.

Brittany Henderson, who represents many alleged victims as a lawyer at the same firm as Edwards, told USA TODAY that victims have been used as political pawns throughout the controversy over Jeffrey Epstein. She hopes that history isn't repeated with the files' release.

"Transparency should mean transparency. It should be both sides of the aisle. It should be everyone," Henderson said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Will Trump DOJ release entire Epstein files? There are doubters.