Epstein files are the dragon that keeps bringing new fires for the Donald Trump administration to put out. In the latest twist to this ongoing mess, in late November 2025, a new set of internal documents was released, revealing the extensive efforts of Kash Patel and the FBI to review and redact Epstein files.
These files are part of what was projected as the Epstein Transparency Project 2025, also known as the Special Redaction Project. They have been under extreme scrutiny and pressure for public disclosure.
However, it has recently been revealed that the bureau spent over $850,000 in overtime in just one week on these files. This amount was reportedly paid to agents working overtime to review the documents. The investigation was conducted by Jason Leopold for Bloomberg.
NEW: 🚨 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 The FBI quietly poured roughly $1M into overtime hours to scrub and redact the Epstein files, working under a project they literally labeled the “Special Redaction Project.”
This is treason. pic.twitter.com/6og54VDrva
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) November 28, 2025
According to Leopold’s report, the November documents state that between March 17 and March 22, 2025, 934 agents were assigned the task of reviewing the Epstein files. These agents collectively logged an astonishing 14,278 hours of overtime in a single week.
This information was released as part of the agency’s response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by Leopold and Bloomberg.
These documents confirm the previously projected numbers.
Even though these files reveal that many FBI agents were working overtime on a single project, based on the documents released, it remains unclear what exactly was redacted. There is no paper trail indicating who ordered specific redactions, which makes it difficult to determine whether the removed names belonged to victims or high-profile individuals involved in the trafficking, as the public has been speculating.
One thing that is certain from this redaction information is that the work was carried out with urgency. This is evidenced by the fact that nearly 1,000 field agents were pulled from various assignments to complete the task. This detail was also obtained by Bloomberg. Agents were called from different field offices and worked night shifts and weekends to meet deadlines, as reported by The Daily Beast.
The task of reviewing and redacting included checking thousands of digital files, surveillance photos, search warrants, video footage, and more. It was also reported that several agents lacked proper redaction training, which raised questions among critics about procedure and the quality of the work. However, these concerns did not deter senior leadership from insisting that the orders be followed.
FBI paid nearly $1M in overtime to redact Epstein files, documents showhttps://t.co/nljsYT4JLs
— [email protected] (@9e1628a84b554f4) December 1, 2025
While the internet has been abuzz with speculation that the redacted names included victims and President Donald Trump, as stated earlier, there is no way to confirm what was removed.
Some argue that the redactions were appropriate, as victims should not face additional public pressure during an already painful time. Others claim this is an example of exploitation of federal power by the Trump administration.
Whichever side one takes, it is a difficult pill to swallow that almost $1 million was spent in overtime to hide names from the public especially if those names belonged to perpetrators.
