Attorney General Pam Bondi requested that a federal court grant more time to release the Justice Department’s files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Officials expect to make another disclosure soon but cannot provide a specific date, despite a bipartisan law setting a deadline of December 19.
In a filing submitted on Tuesday in federal court in New York, Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton explained that hundreds of attorneys and agents have been reviewing and redacting records to protect victims’ identities. They aim to handle sensitive material properly. However, the size of the archive, which includes millions of pages and digital content, has slowed the process.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November, required the DOJ to publish the records by December 19 with necessary redactions to prevent identifying victims. So far, the DOJ has released only a small portion of the material, with several media outlets reporting that less than 1% has become public.
Axios reported that the court filing did not give a timeline beyond the phrase “near term.” The DOJ has promised to update its online repository for Epstein documents with additional records. Time reported earlier this month that the DOJ told a judge millions of documents still need review and that the department is trying to balance transparency with privacy protections for victims.
This delay has drawn criticism from lawmakers on Capitol Hill who supported the release mandate. They argue that the DOJ is not following the intent of the law. Time reported that Representatives Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, and Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, pushed for an independent monitor to oversee the department’s compliance. A judge rejected this request on jurisdictional grounds while acknowledging lawmakers’ concerns.
The law passed nearly unanimously and required redacting victim names, and the DOJ’s inability to set a firm release date has raised fears of ongoing delays.
The DOJ has cited the scope and sensitivity of the Epstein archive as the main challenge. In earlier filings described by Time and other outlets, DOJ officials stated that the review involves a large volume of documents and media. Staff must identify and remove any personal information linked to victims before publishing.
Pam Bondi is still refusing to release the 99% of Epstein Files remaining. She is breaking the law and shielding the President from accountability. pic.twitter.com/QTkABzvRoP
— Oversight Dems (@OversightDems) January 27, 2026
Epstein, a wealthy financier, was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and died in federal custody. The Justice Department’s effort to release files follows years of public pressure and congressional action to make investigative records public while ensuring victims’ identities are protected.
The Justice Department has not indicated when its review will be complete as the public loses patience with the Epstein saga. It has only stated that additional records will be posted once processing and redactions are finished. As previously reported, it may take many years before the DOJ releases the full Epstein files.
