Justice Department says it has ‘over a million more’ documents potentially related to Epstein
2:41This photo illustration captured in Washington on December 19, 2025 displays redacted documents following the US Justice Department’s initiation of releasing the eagerly awaited records.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
On Wednesday, the Department of Justice revealed that officials have "discovered over a million additional documents that may pertain to the Jeffrey Epstein case."
"These documents were obtained from the [Southern District of New York] and the FBI for review and potential release, in accordance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, applicable laws, and court orders," the department posted on X.
"We have attorneys working tirelessly to review and implement the legally mandated redactions to safeguard victims, and we will publish the documents as soon as we can. Given the extensive volume of materials, this process might require a few additional weeks," the post stated.
ABC News has previously indicated that the Department of Justice is in possession of over a million documents connected to Epstein, a convicted sex offender who took his own life in 2019 in his jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking allegations.
Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the leading member of the House Oversight Committee, released a statement on Wednesday condemning the Trump administration’s management of the Epstein files.
"It is appalling that the DOJ has unlawfully withheld over 1 million documents from the public," Garcia asserted.
"Daily, we witness deceit, incompetence, missed deadlines, and unlawful redactions. Pam Bondi must testify before Congress under oath to clarify her actions," Garcia continued. "Oversight Democrats are also eager to hear from whistleblowers or anyone at the DOJ who can aid us in securing justice for the survivors. You are protected by the law."
This photo illustration taken in Washington, December 19, 2025 shows redacted documents after the US Justice Department began releasing the long-awaited records.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
In November, Congress enacted the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the release of the Department of Justice’s files on Epstein. This legislation mandated that the department disclose all documents, with specific exceptions like ensuring victim privacy and ongoing investigations, by Friday, Dec. 19, although the department noted that the vetting procedure to protect victims has caused delays.
As of Tuesday morning, the Justice Department had made available more than 30,000 pages of documents, which included over 15,000 individual downloadable files. Thousands of photographs were also released to the public for the first time.
In addition to alleging that the administration has been too slow in releasing the materials, critics have claimed that the administration has been overly aggressive in its redactions, obscuring the names of government officials and making it challenging, if not impossible, to ascertain who made specific statements in both internal and external communications.
The Justice Department has also obscured the identities of potential co-conspirators identified by prosecutors in internal emails shortly following Epstein’s 2019 arrest.
Moreover, the administration has faced scrutiny for inadvertently allowing victims’ names to be visible in some of the documents it has released.
Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, who co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act alongside Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, stated they will "persist in applying pressure."
"After we indicated we are pursuing contempt, the DOJ is now discovering millions more documents to release. They must release the 302 FBI statements & the emails on Epstein’s computer. The Epstein class must go," Khanna posted on X on Wednesday.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com