A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to release additional unredacted records related to Jeffrey Epstein or provide an explanation for any withheld documents by July 2. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued this order in response to a lawsuit filed by media legal analyst Katie Phang, who claims the DOJ has not fully complied with the Epstein Act. While the DOJ has released 3.5 million pages of documents, Phang argues that further material has been improperly redacted or withheld.
In his ruling, Sullivan noted allegations that the DOJ redacted names in at least eight email exchanges involving Epstein and accusations of sexual activity with minors. Phang's lawsuit also claims that the DOJ withheld information regarding co-defendants and individuals identified as co-conspirators. Additionally, she alleges that 36 materials mentioning President Trump were not disclosed, including notes from FBI interviews with a victim who claims Epstein introduced her to Trump when she was 13 years old.
The DOJ has contended that Phang cannot sue because she should have filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, but her legal team argues that previous FOIA requests related to the Epstein files were denied. Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to the Epstein allegations and has not been charged with any crimes in connection with them. Representatives of the DOJ did not respond to requests for comment regarding the ruling.