WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 27, 2025) — The U.S. Justice Department revealed it has uncovered over one million previously undisclosed documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case, sparking a heated political fight over transparency and the handling of the long-running sex trafficking probe. The disclosure has led President Donald Trump to accuse Democrats of orchestrating a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
The Christmas Eve announcement by federal prosecutors signifies a major expansion of the investigatory record and guarantees a significant delay in publicly releasing the files. The development has fractured along partisan lines, with Democrats alleging a cover-up and Republicans, led by the President, denouncing the renewed focus as a diversionary political attack.
What Did the Justice Department Reveal?
On December 24, the Department of Justice announced that federal prosecutors in New York, working with the FBI, had identified and transferred “a million more documents” potentially connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. The material was handed over for review under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law mandating public disclosure with protections for victims.
Officials acknowledged that processing this “mass volume of material” would cause a delay, stating, “We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims… this process may take a few more weeks.” This admission confirms the department will miss the congressionally mandated deadline for full compliance, a point of immediate contention.
How Did President Trump and Republicans React?
President Trump responded sharply on social media, framing the development as a political tactic by Democrats. In a post on December 26, he called the situation a “Democrat inspired Hoax” and a “Witch Hunt,” accusing the DOJ of being forced to focus on Epstein instead of what he termed “Election Fraud.”
“The Dems are the ones who worked with Epstein, not the Republicans,” Trump wrote, demanding the release of Democratic names associated with Epstein. The White House publicly defended the DOJ’s handling, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson praising Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for “doing a great job implementing the President’s agenda.”
How Did Congressional Democrats Respond?
Democratic leaders seized on the disclosure as evidence of obstruction. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the Trump administration of a “massive coverup,” stating, “A Christmas Eve news dump of ‘a million more files’ only proves what we already know.”
The delay has also sparked rare bipartisan frustration. A group of 12 U.S. senators—11 Democrats and one Republican—formally urged the Acting Inspector General to investigate why the Justice Department missed the legal deadline. They argued victims “deserve full disclosure” and the “peace of mind” from an independent audit.
What Are the Legal and Transparency Implications?
The discovery represents a dramatic shift from the DOJ’s previous assurances. As recently as July 2025, the FBI and Justice Department concluded an “exhaustive review” and indicated no further evidence warranted release, an assessment that did not mention the existence of this massive trove.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie, a co-author of the transparency law, accused the department of breaking the law. “DOJ did break the law by making illegal redactions and by missing the deadline,” Massie stated. He and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna vowed to “continue to keep the pressure on,” suggesting the threat of contempt proceedings prompted the new disclosure.
Important FAQs
Q: What exactly was found?
A: The U.S. Department of Justice announced on December 24 that federal prosecutors and the FBI identified over one million additional documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation that had not been previously disclosed.
Q: Why is President Trump calling it a “witch hunt”?
A: President Trump alleges the renewed focus and massive document discovery is a politically motivated “Democrat inspired Hoax” designed to distract from Republican policy successes and investigations into election fraud that he promotes.
Q: What is the Epstein Files Transparency Act?
A: It is a law passed by Congress that mandates the public release of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, subject to legally required redactions to protect the identities and privacy of victims.
Q: Has the DOJ broken the law?
A: Representative Thomas Massie, who helped write the transparency law, has publicly stated that the DOJ “did break the law” by missing the congressionally mandated deadline for document release and by making what he alleges are illegal redactions.
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