The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has disclosed that there are 5.2 million pages of Epstein files remaining for examination. To assist in this review process until late January, the DOJ requires the support of 400 lawyers from four different department offices, as stated in a government document scrutinized by Reuters on Tuesday. This development is anticipated to prolong the final release of the documents beyond the original expectations following a deadline set by Congress on December 19.
The White House and the Justice Department did not provide immediate responses to inquiries from Reuters. The Trump administration mandated the Justice Department to unveil the files related to criminal investigations of Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased financier and convicted sex offender who had ties with U.S. President Donald Trump in the 1990s. This directive aligns with a transparency law enacted by Congress recently.
According to the document, the Criminal Division, the National Security Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan are collectively contributing 400 attorneys for the file review, a more precise figure compared to earlier estimates. The review process is scheduled for January, with the department offering telework options and time off incentives to volunteers. Lawyers participating are expected to dedicate three to five hours daily to review approximately 1,000 documents.
Last week, the DOJ announced the discovery of over a million additional documents potentially linked to Epstein. Despite this, the disclosures thus far have been heavily redacted, causing frustration among some Republicans and adding to the ongoing scandal that poses challenges for the party leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. The law, backed by Congress with bipartisan support, dictates the public release of all Epstein-related files, despite Trump’s efforts to keep them sealed. The documents were supposed to be released by December 19 with redactions to protect victims.
President Trump acknowledged his prior social acquaintance with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, stating that their association ended in the mid-2000s and that he was unaware of the financier’s illicit activities. Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 for soliciting an underage individual for prostitution, and in 2019, the Justice Department charged him with sex trafficking. Epstein’s death in 2019 in a New York jail was ruled a suicide.
In a recent communication on X, the Justice Department affirmed, “We have legal teams working tirelessly to review and redact the necessary content to protect victims, and we aim to release the documents promptly. Given the extensive amount of material, this process may require a few more weeks.”