Just when it seemed the Epstein files saga couldn’t get more complicated, the Justice Department dropped a bombshell on Christmas Eve: federal investigators have uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
The announcement, which came via the DOJ’s official X account on Wednesday afternoon, means the already contentious document release will drag on for weeks longer, adding fuel to bipartisan outrage over what critics are calling a systematic cover-up.
A Christmas Eve Revelation
According to the DOJ statement, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI informed the department that they have uncovered the massive new trove of files. The department claims it now has “lawyers working around the clock” to review and make required redactions to protect victims before releasing the materials.
The timing could hardly be more suspicious. As Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer put it: “A Christmas Eve news dump of ‘a million more files’ only proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup.”
The DOJ’s post stated the review process “may take a few more weeks” due to the sheer volume of material, though spokespeople declined to elaborate on the contents or explain why these documents weren’t discovered earlier.
The Contempt Pressure That Preceded the Announcement
Rep. Ro Khanna, the California Democrat who co-authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, was quick to connect the dots. “After we said we are bringing contempt, the DOJ is now finding millions more documents to release,” Khanna posted on X. “The Epstein class must go.”
The bipartisan duo has been drafting inherent contempt proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi since the DOJ’s initial release on December 19 fell far short of congressional expectations. The rarely used mechanism, which hasn’t been successfully deployed since the 1930s, would allow the House to fine Bondi daily until she complies with the law.
Meanwhile, a group of 12 senators sent a letter to DOJ Acting Inspector General Don Berthiaume calling for an audit of the department’s handling of the files. The senators, led by Dick Durbin, Lisa Murkowski, and Jeff Merkley, argued the DOJ has withheld documents, released materials already publicly available, and applied redactions far beyond what the law permits.
What the Earlier Releases Revealed
The documents released so far have already produced significant revelations about connections between Epstein and powerful figures across the political spectrum.
Tuesday’s release, the most substantive batch yet, included an email from a prosecutor noting that flight logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet at least eight times between 1993 and 1996. On at least four of those flights, Ghislaine Maxwell was also present. One 1993 flight listed only Trump and Epstein as passengers; another included just the two men and an unnamed 20-year-old woman.
Former President Bill Clinton appeared prominently in the initial release, with never-before-seen photos showing him in a hot tub with someone whose face was redacted, swimming with Maxwell, and traveling with Epstein to Morocco for the wedding of King Mohammed VI in 2002.
The files also contained correspondence that appears to implicate Prince Andrew, including email exchanges with someone signing off as “A” who references being “up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family.”
The Fake Letter and DOJ’s Credibility Problem
Adding to the chaos, the DOJ released and then had to walk back a letter purportedly signed by “J. Epstein” to convicted sex offender Larry Nassar. The FBI later confirmed the letter was fake, citing several inconsistencies: the postmark was from Virginia rather than New York where Epstein was imprisoned, the return address was for a different jail, and the envelope was processed three days after Epstein’s death.
Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe noted the incident illustrates the “pitfalls” of releasing massive document troves without proper verification. The DOJ’s decision to include the dubious document prompted sharp criticism, though the department testily responded on X: “Because the law requires us to release all documents related to Jeffrey Epstein in our possession so that’s what we are doing, you dope.”
What Comes Next
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, which passed the House 427-1 and the Senate by unanimous consent before Trump signed it into law on November 19, gave the Justice Department 30 days to release all unclassified records. That deadline passed on December 19, and the department has been playing catch-up ever since.
With Congress returning in January, Khanna and Massie have made clear they intend to bring their inherent contempt resolution to the House floor. The measure would be introduced as “privileged,” forcing a vote within two legislative days.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has remained defiant, telling NBC’s Meet the Press he doesn’t take the contempt threats seriously. “Bring it on,” he said, arguing the department is fully complying with the statute.
For the survivors of Epstein’s abuse who have waited years for transparency, the announcement of yet more delays lands as another insult. As Khanna put it on CBS’s Face the Nation: “There’s a pretty simple point, who raped these young girls, who covered it up and why are they getting away with it?”
The answer, apparently, will take a few more weeks.