The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has asked a federal judge to release the grand jury transcripts from the Jeffrey Epstein case. This move came shortly after former President Donald Trump publicly directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to “produce any and all” relevant testimony.
In its court filing, the DOJ explained the reasoning behind the request. It said, “The public’s interest in the Epstein matter has remained. Given this longstanding and legitimate interest, the government now moves to unseal grand jury transcripts associated with Epstein.”
The DOJ’s action aims to address public frustration, especially from Trump’s loyal MAGA supporters. Many of them have pushed for the release of Epstein-related documents, including those surrounding his death and his alleged “client list.”
According to the department, it recently reviewed the grand jury testimony to check “whether evidence existed that could predicate an investigation into uncharged third parties.”
Trump’s Reaction to WSJ Report Sparks Legal Battle
Earlier that day, Trump had criticized The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and threatened legal action over what he called “fake” letters that allegedly linked him to Epstein.
The WSJ published a report claiming Trump sent Epstein a handwritten note in 2003, as part of a collection of birthday letters for Epstein’s 50th birthday. The note reportedly featured a drawing of a naked woman, with Trump’s signature placed suggestively and a message reading, “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Although the newspaper said it had reviewed the letter, it did not publish an image of it. Trump strongly denied writing the note and followed through on his threat by filing a defamation lawsuit in federal court in Miami. In the suit, he accused WSJ and its owner Rupert Murdoch of attempting to damage his reputation with false reporting.
Trump had earlier said he would sue “the ass off” Murdoch and his media outlet over the story, which quickly drew widespread attention in Washington.
Timeline for Public Release Still Uncertain
Despite the DOJ’s push to unseal the transcripts, it’s unclear when the documents will actually be made public. Federal law requires the judge to first consult with any victims and individuals mentioned in the testimony who haven’t been charged with crimes. Their identities must be protected.
This legal process could delay the release by weeks or even months, depending on the court’s timeline and the responses from the involved parties.
According to CNN, the grand jury transcripts are just one part of the massive collection of materials linked to Epstein’s criminal investigation. Thousands of pages of documents remain under DOJ control, making the unsealing process complex and lengthy.
