Washington — The U.S. Department of Justice has withheld and, in some cases, removed from public databases a number of records connected to Jeffrey Epstein that reference President Donald Trump, according to a months-long investigation by NPR.
The investigation, published this week, reports that despite statutory requirements governing disclosure, dozens of pages of FBI interviews, investigative notes, and related materials remain unavailable to the public. Some of those records, NPR reports, relate to allegations made decades ago by a woman who accused Trump of sexually abusing her when she was a minor — allegations Trump has repeatedly denied.
Missing Records and Serial Number Gaps
NPR reporters reviewed multiple sets of document serial numbers tied to Epstein-related materials, including FBI case files, discovery logs, internal emails, and court records. According to the investigation, those serial numbers indicate that certain documents were cataloged by the Justice Department but never released publicly, even as other materials from the same document tranches were disclosed.
In several cases, records that had previously appeared in public DOJ databases were later removed or temporarily taken offline before being restored, NPR found. Other documents remain inaccessible.
The Justice Department declined to answer NPR’s questions on the record about the contents of the withheld files or why they were not released. After the story was published, DOJ officials contacted NPR to object to how the questions had been framed.
In a statement, Justice Department spokeswoman Natalie Baldassarre said documents not released are either privileged, duplicative, or related to an ongoing federal investigation.
Allegations in a 2016 Civil Lawsuit
The withheld records intersect with a controversial and unresolved chapter in the Epstein saga: a 2016 civil lawsuit filed in federal court in California under the name “Katie Johnson.”
In that lawsuit, the plaintiff alleged that Trump and Epstein sexually assaulted her in the mid-1990s when she was 13 years old. The complaint detailed graphic accusations and named a former Epstein employee as a corroborating witness.
The lawsuit was withdrawn before trial. No court ever ruled on the merits of the claims, and Trump has categorically denied the allegations. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Legal experts have long cautioned that the withdrawal of a lawsuit does not constitute proof of falsity or truth, but it does mean the claims were never adjudicated.
Oversight Committee Raises Legal Concerns
Following NPR’s reporting, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said he reviewed unredacted DOJ evidence logs and believes the department may be unlawfully withholding records.
“Yesterday, I reviewed unredacted evidence logs at the Department of Justice,” Garcia said in a statement. “Oversight Democrats can confirm that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with this survivor who accused President Trump of heinous crimes.”
Garcia said the Oversight Committee will open a parallel investigation into the DOJ’s handling of the records, separate from its review of Epstein-related matters.
Broader Epstein Context
The NPR investigation also notes that some removed or withheld documents relate to a separate woman who testified as a key witness in the criminal prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking minors and is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence.
According to NPR, Maxwell is seeking clemency from Trump, a fact that has intensified scrutiny of how Epstein-related records referencing the president are being handled.
Resurfaced Audio and Public Reaction
The renewed attention comes as a resurfaced 2006 audio clip featuring Trump, circulated widely on social media, has reignited public debate. The clip, whose authenticity has been debated but not formally adjudicated, features Trump making comments about age limits in sexual relationships. Trump’s representatives have previously dismissed similar recordings as mischaracterized or taken out of context.
While the audio is not part of the DOJ or Epstein case files, critics argue its reemergence underscores the need for transparency. Supporters counter that allegations without convictions should not be treated as proof.
Unresolved Questions
At the center of the controversy is not a judicial finding but a transparency dispute: whether the Justice Department is complying with disclosure laws when it comes to Epstein-related records that reference powerful individuals, including a sitting president.
NPR emphasized that its investigation does not establish guilt or innocence but raises questions about record-keeping, public access, and equal application of disclosure rules.
For now, the missing documents remain missing — and the debate over what the public is entitled to see continues.
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