President Donald Trump told reporters this week that the Justice Department should move on from the Jeffrey Epstein records and focus on other work. He argued that the department has already released millions of pages and that the issue has become a political distraction.
“I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting. He pointed to the department’s recent document release and added, “Frankly, the DOJ should just say we have other things to do.”
Trump made these comments while responding to questions about disclosures related to Epstein and renewed demands from lawmakers and activists for more transparency. Trump said the department had released “3 million pages” and suggested that the focus on Epstein was out of proportion to the government’s responsibilities.
The Justice Department has stated that it published roughly 3.5 million responsive pages in its Epstein Library. This was part of its compliance with a 2025 law requiring the release of unclassified Epstein-related records with specific protections and redactions.
Trump also tried to suggest that the controversy involved other prominent figures more than him and he referenced other well-known names and said he saw “nothing on me.”
Trump: “I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein…And, frankly, the DOJ, I think should just say, ‘We have other things to do.’” pic.twitter.com/T7lvOeDTGw
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) February 15, 2026
His remarks came as the release of the Epstein files created tension within Trump’s coalition. Some Republicans have claimed that the department has not given enough context and has withheld too much information. Meanwhile, the administration has insisted it complied with the law and protected victims’ identities.
Recently, Democrats have also pressed for answers about what remains unreleased and how the DOJ has handled the review process. Axios reported that Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, described documents he claimed to have viewed in an unredacted review. He mentioned an email exchange that he said referenced Trump’s relationship with Epstein and Mar-a-Lago.
The disagreement over what the public has seen versus what investigators collected has fueled conflicting claims about the amount of material. Some outlets and lawmakers have reported large numbers regarding how often Trump’s name appears in various caches, but those figures differ by source and by which database or document set is being discussed. Neither Trump nor the DOJ provided a detailed account of how names are counted across the released records and related investigative files.
Trump’s comments came after days of renewed attention to the Epstein records within conservative media and social platforms. ABC News previously reported that Trump has dismissed calls from some in his own party for further disclosures, characterizing the push as politically driven and suggesting the effort was meant to harm him.
The White House has not announced plans for any new investigative steps related to Epstein beyond the releases mandated by law. The DOJ has continued to face questions about redactions and what it has withheld under privilege. Some lawmakers have criticized the department’s “all files” language, saying it does not match what the public can access.
Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death and the management of related records have kept public interest alive and created political flashpoints.
For Trump, the latest exchange indicated a desire to wrap up the topic rather than keep discussing it publicly. When asked about the records and their implications, he again denied any wrongdoing and said the department should shift attention to other priorities.
