U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the Justice Department to release additional documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including grand jury testimony, pending court approval.
“Given the ridiculous amount of publicity surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,” Trump announced.
It remains unclear whether Trump is authorizing the full public release of the documents, which would typically require a judge’s consent due to the sensitive nature of grand jury proceedings.
The directive follows Trump’s threat to sue The Wall Street Journal over its recent report alleging that a sexually suggestive birthday note—bearing Trump’s name—was sent to Epstein in 2003. According to the paper, the letter was part of a compilation prepared by Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted for her role in his sex trafficking operation.
The note reportedly featured several lines of typewritten text within the outline of a naked woman, hand-drawn with a heavy marker. The Journal claimed it included an imaginary third-person conversation between Trump and Epstein, ending with the words: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump dismissed the letter as a fake, writing on social media: “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.” He further criticized the Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, stating they had been “warned directly” not to publish the story, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
Shortly after Trump’s announcement, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed plans to seek court approval to unseal the transcripts. “We are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts,” she said in a statement.
Grand juries are used to assess whether sufficient evidence exists to bring criminal charges, but their proceedings are typically sealed and only become public with judicial approval.
Documents from Epstein’s 2006 Florida case—where he was charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution—have previously been released. That case drew national outrage due to its lenient outcome, despite testimony from multiple underage victims.
Trump had previously pledged on the campaign trail to declassify Epstein-related files if re-elected.
Bondi, however, recently faced backlash after walking back earlier claims that the Justice Department was in possession of a so-called “Epstein client list.” Last week, she acknowledged that federal authorities did not believe such a list existed and stood by the official conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019.
Her remarks sparked outrage among Trump supporters, some of whom called for her resignation, accusing her of backpedaling on earlier promises of major disclosures.
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk welcomed Trump’s latest order, calling it a win for grassroots activists. “This is massive,” Kirk said. “It’s something we’ve been calling for, and it shows the power of the people.”
Jeffrey Epstein, a registered sex offender, died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death came more than a decade after a 2008 plea deal in Florida that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution.
