Live updates: Epstein files released

The Justice Department has released more than 300,000 pages of unclassified Jeffrey Epstein case files.

The files were released Friday afternoon to comply with a law passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said he expects "several hundred thousand" more to be released in coming weeks, prompting Democrats to threaten legal action for not releasing them in full by the Dec. 19 deadline.

Here’s the latest:

New photos from Jeffrey Epstein's estate (House Oversight Democrats)

Trump included in some files

5:35 p.m. ET: President Trump appeared a few times in the newly released files, including photos of him posing with women, according to The New York Times. The search for Trump is one example of the page's search function not working properly. When LiveNow from FOX first searched Trump's name, two images came up, but they were only of books written about him. When LiveNow from FOX searched his name again, the page said no results were found.

Photos of Bill Clinton included in files

5:21 p.m. ET: Several photos in the release include former President Bill Clinton. Some show Clinton on a private plane, including one with a woman whose face was redacted from the photo sitting on his lap. Another photo shows him in a pool with Maxwell and a person whose face also was redacted.

Another photo shows Clinton in a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted.

The files do not say when the photos were taken.

Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someone’s name or images in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.

Clinton minimized his relationship with Epstein, acknowledging that he traveled on Epstein’s private jet but saying through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes.

Files are heavily redacted

4:27 p.m. ET: The files appear to be heavily redacted to protect the identities of the more than 1,200 victims identified through the investigation, according to Fox News. Fox News says the files include more than a dozen names of politicians and those who would be politically exposed. Those names are also redacted, Fox News reports, but the law compelling the Justice Department to release the files makes clear that no records shall be withheld or redacted solely because their release would cause embarrassment or reputational harm to any public figure, government official or foreign dignitary.

The Justice Department may withhold or redact records that, if made public, would constitute "a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy."

Epstein files released on special website

4:10 p.m. ET: The files were released on a Justice Department website in a searchable format, though it's unclear if the search function is working properly. You can view the website and search the files here.

The trove of files includes photographs, call logs, grand jury testimony and some documents and records that have already been in the public domain.

This story will be updated as LiveNow from FOX examines the files.

What’s in the Epstein files?

The files were expected to include never-before-seen material, but a lot has already been made public, including by Congress and through litigation.

Before the Justice Department released the case files, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee shared at least three batches of photos from Epstein’s estate, a small part of more than 95,000 files Congress has received. The photos – shared without captions or context – are separate from the case files released by the Department of Justice today.

Those photos shed light on the powerful figures in Epstein’s circle, including President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the former Prince Andrew, among others.

Why are the Epstein files being released?

Big picture view:

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law passed by Congress and signed by Trump, requires the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents and investigative materials, including files relating to immunity deals and internal communications, by Dec. 19. The Justice Department has to make the documents public in a searchable and downloadable format.

What’s not in the Epstein files?

Dig deeper:

The Justice Department may withhold or redact records that, if made public, would constitute "a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." It also bars the release of any materials depicting the sexual abuse of children, or images of death, physical abuse, or injury.

That means that if videos or photos exist of Epstein or anyone else sexually abusing underage girls, they can’t be made public. But the law also makes clear that no records shall be withheld or redacted — meaning certain parts are blacked out — solely because their release would cause embarrassment or reputational harm to any public figure, government official or foreign dignitary.

Who was Jeffrey Epstein?

The backstory:

Epstein, a wealthy financier, was known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite, including Trump and Clinton. He was first accused of sexually abusing underage girls in 2005, but Epstein made a secret deal with the U.S. attorney in Florida to avoid federal charges, enabling him to plead guilty in 2008 to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge. He served 13 months in a jail work-release program.

In 2019, Manhattan federal prosecutors revived the case and charged Epstein with sex trafficking, alleging he sexually abused dozens of girls. He killed himself in jail a month after his arrest.

Epstein’s longtime friend and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping recruit some of his underage victims.

The Source: This report includes photos and information from House Oversight Democrats, The Associated Press and previous FOX TV Stations reporting.

Politics Donald J. Trump