Justice Dept. Now Said to Be Reviewing 5.2 Million Pages of Epstein Files

Justice Department Expands Epstein Document Review

The Justice Department is seeking to enlist about 400 lawyers to review roughly 5.2 million pages of Epstein files documents, an effort that is drawing in prosecutors who work on national security and criminal cases, and in U.S. attorneys’ offices in New York and Florida, according to people familiar with the matter.

The number represents a more precise, and potentially much larger, figure than previous estimates provided by the department.

Congress required the Justice Department to release its files related to the investigations of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by Dec. 19. The department released about 100,000 pages on that date, and said in the days that followed that at least a million more documents still needed to be reviewed.

Since late November, the department has assigned nearly 200 lawyers from the national security division to review the documents and remove any information about victims, or anything that would compromise continuing investigations or national security. Now, Justice Department officials have told employees that they need more help to accomplish the task.

The document review is expected to take until at least Jan. 20, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Trump administration had already drawn the ire of Democrats and a few Republicans in Congress for appearing to break the law setting the deadline to release the documents.

The Justice Department has defended its handling of the matter. “We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible,” the department said on social media.

But the disclosure that only a fraction of the documents have been released has only added to the troubles surrounding the rollout of the material. After the initial release on Dec. 19, some photographs were removed from the online collection because of what the department described as concerns about them possibly containing information about victims.

One image showed a credenza with an open drawer containing other photos, including at least one of Mr. Trump. Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, said the image was removed not to protect the president but because of concerns about whether that image contained any victims. The image was later restored to the collection.

The Justice Department faces a significant challenge with this large volume of files, as each document must be carefully examined for sensitive material. Lawyers involved in the review are under pressure to work efficiently while ensuring victims' identities are not exposed and ongoing investigations remain secure.

Critics argue that the slow pace of release is frustrating and undermines public trust. They point to the complexity of reviewing millions of pages and the high-profile nature of the case, which demands both transparency and caution.

In addition to legal teams, technological tools are being used to aid the review process. Software capable of flagging potentially sensitive information is helping lawyers manage the immense workload, though human oversight remains critical to ensure accuracy and proper redactions.

Observers note that the Epstein case highlights broader concerns about how the Justice Department handles sensitive materials and deadlines imposed by Congress. The review process is closely watched, with media outlets and the public eager for comprehensive access to documents while respecting legal protections for victims.

The outcome of this review will likely have lasting implications, potentially shaping policies on document releases in high-profile investigations. It also serves as a test of the department's ability to manage both large-scale document reviews and public expectations in complex legal matters.

Tags: Epstein Files, Epstein Documents, Epstein, Trump, Clinton, USA Politics