International

US Attorney General Accuses FBI of Withholding Epstein Files, Demands Full Release

Published

1 month ago

Feb 28, 2025.

Dennis

Attorney General Pam Bondi accuses the FBI of withholding thousands of Epstein-related documents.
FBI Director Kash Patel ordered to release all files by Friday and investigate the omission.
White House declassifies some Epstein files, but Republicans call the release disappointing.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has accused federal investigators of withholding thousands of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and has ordered the FBI to release all materials by Friday morning without omissions.

In a public letter, Bondi urged FBI Director Kash Patel to investigate why the agency failed to disclose the existence of these files, despite repeated requests. On Thursday, she released the first batch of newly declassified files, but they contained no major new revelations about Epstein or his associates.

Epstein, arrested in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges, died by suicide while awaiting trial.

EDITOR’S PICKS

Bondi set a deadline of 8:00 AM EST (13:00 GMT) on Friday for the FBI to turn over all Epstein-related documents, regardless of how they were obtained. She wrote that she had learned only “late yesterday” that the FBI’s New York field office possessed “thousands of pages” tied to the investigation and indictment of Epstein.

“Despite my repeated requests, the FBI never disclosed the existence of these files,” she stated. Bondi also directed Patel to conduct an immediate internal review to determine why her previous order was ignored.

“You will deliver to me a comprehensive report of your findings and proposed personnel action within 14 days,” she wrote.

Patel responded on social media, declaring that the agency was “entering a new era—one that will be defined by integrity, accountability, and the unwavering pursuit of justice.” He added, “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned.”

The newly declassified files, according to the Justice Department, primarily consist of previously leaked materials that had never been formally released by the U.S. government. The 10 files include flight logs from Epstein’s private jet and a partially redacted contacts list.

During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump had pledged to release the “Epstein list,” a rumoured document that some believe could link high-profile individuals to Epstein’s crimes.

On Thursday afternoon, the White House delivered an initial batch of 200 files—labelled “The Epstein Files: Phase I”—to a group of conservative influencers, including political commentator Rogan O’Handley (DC Draino) and Chaya Raichik, creator of Libs of TikTok.

However, the limited scope of the documents disappointed some Republicans. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who leads a House Republican task force on government transparency, expressed frustration, writing on X: “I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today. This is not what we or the American people asked for and a complete disappointment.”