DOJ files motion to declassify Epstein grand jury transcripts

The Justice Department filed a formal motion to declassify grand jury transcripts related to the criminal case of child molester Jeffrey Epstein and his former partner and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The application, filed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche in Manhattan federal court, calls for lifting existing protective orders and allowing the release of documents hitherto withheld by the judiciary.

"At the direction of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice hereby moves the Court to release grand jury transcripts associated with the above-referenced indictment," reads the document, which further underscores and argues that the case renewed its public interest.

"Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter. Indeed, other jurists have released grand jury transcripts after concluding that Epstein’s case qualifies as a matter of public concern (…) For these reasons, this Court should conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as a matter of public interest, release the associated grand jury transcripts, and lift any preexisting protective orders."

The Justice Department advised that it will work in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to remove any information that might identify or undermine the integrity of the victims before the documents are fully disclosed.

The move comes as political and media pressure grows for the Trump administration, criticized for poor transparency around the Epstein case despite promises made by President Donald Trump on the campaign trail.

In recent days, Trump himself personally instructed Bondi to release "pertinent information" related to the grand jury testimony, a decision that came after weeks of internal tension in the president's inner circle and the MAGA movement, where allies such as Michael Flynn, Laura Loomer, and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene harshly criticized the lack of clarity on the details of the Epstein case.

Criticism especially exploded against prosecutor Bondi, who months ago had promised the public new details about the case that never came.

So far, the Trump administration has only released previously known information about Epstein and his crimes, generating many hitherto unfulfilled expectations.

The move also comes after an alleged letter attributed to President Trump, purportedly addressed to Epstein in 2003 and disclosed by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday, came to light. According to the WSJ, the letter addressed to Epstein for his birthday was written by Trump with a heightened tone. However, Trump categorically denied any link to the missive and, moreover, launched a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the paper earlier Friday.

With the motion, the Justice Department appears to take an important step toward improving transparency surrounding one of the most controversial cases in recent decades.