FAQ

Epstein scandal

US President Trump has signed the law authorizing the release of the Epstein case files. The US Department of Justice now has 30 days to release the investigative documents. But what can be expected from the release? Here's an overview of the most important questions.

What is the current situation? What exactly does the law stipulate? What hopes are associated with the release? Will the Epstein scandal now be fully exposed? What exactly do the proponents of the release fear? Which names could be mentioned? What is at stake for Trump? Could Trump still exert influence?

What is the starting point?

He had resisted for a long time, but now US President Donald Trump had to bow to pressure: The Republican signed a law to release investigative files in the case of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The House of Representatives and the Senate had previously approved the bill.

The multimillionaire ran a sex trafficking ring for years. Many young women, including minors, were victims. Epstein also abused them himself. For years, survivors of the systematic abuse demanded a public investigation into the scandal.

What exactly does the law stipulate?

The proposal obliges Justice Minister Pam Bondi to disclose essentially everything the ministry has gathered during various investigations. The Justice Ministry now has 30 days to do so. The disclosure must therefore occur by mid-December at the latest.

The focus is on documents from the US Department of Justice, the District Attorney's Office, and the FBI that document the investigations against Epstein and contain information about his detention. The files that must be released also concern Epstein's longtime partner and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for procuring victims for her boyfriend.

The documents also include flight logs for Epstein's private jet, including passenger lists. Documents relating to companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies that may have had connections to Epstein are also expected to be released.

Furthermore, the Department of Justice is to disclose internal communications concerning Epstein, his associates, and his death in 2019. At the time, Epstein was awaiting further charges of sexual abuse and trafficking of dozens of underage girls. US authorities ruled his death a suicide. According to a federal judge, the files comprise approximately 100,000 pages of documents.

What hopes are associated with the release?

Victims and politicians hope the publication will provide more answers and insights into the systematic abuse. Some victims have long tried to name people they believe are complicit or involved. However, many fear lawsuits from those they accuse.

Republican House Representative Thomas Massie wants the FBI to release its reports on interviewing victims, which typically contain unverified information. Along with his fellow Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, who fell out of favor with President Trump for criticizing his handling of the Epstein affair, he has offered to read the names of accused individuals in the House of Representatives, thereby protecting their statements from legal repercussions.

"We need names," says Massie."I want every single name published so that these women no longer have to live in fear and intimidation," Taylor Greene announced. Besides greater transparency, the victims' primary concern is likely to finally be taken seriously.

Will the Epstein scandal now be fully exposed?

Critics doubt this. The law allows the Ministry of Justice to make exceptions regarding publication: Information may be withheld or redacted,"such as personal data of victims and materials that would jeopardize an ongoing federal investigation."

Justice Minister Bondi announced at a press conference on Wednesday that the government would continue to adhere to the law with "maximum transparency," while ensuring the protection of victims. This also means that information deemed to endanger national security and classified as secret does not have to be published.

The Justice Department is required to provide an account of any materials it withholds within 15 days of the release of the Epstein files. This also applies to any redactions made.

It is explicitly forbidden to withhold any documents to protect individuals. The law does not recognize protection from embarrassment or reputational damage as valid reasons for omissions, nor does it recognize political sensitivity towards government officials, public figures, or foreign dignitaries.

What exactly are the proponents of the release afraid of?

The point that information may be withheld due to ongoing investigations is particularly worrying to some proponents of disclosure. They fear that the department could open new investigations into individuals named in the Epstein files in order to keep the files sealed.

The Justice Department launched a new investigation just a few days ago. Trump had previously asked the Justice Department to investigate Epstein's connections and relationships with, among others, former US President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, as well as other individuals and companies. However, in a memorandum on the Epstein case in July, the FBI stated that it had found no evidence to justify investigations into individuals not yet accused.

Which names could be mentioned?

It is widely expected that numerous people whose names have not previously appeared in the media will be named in the files of the investigation, which has been ongoing for more than a decade. At the same time, there is growing concern that simply being mentioned in the files could be interpreted as evidence of guilt or complicity.

New York financier Epstein was part of high society for many years, associating with heads of state and government, influential politicians like Bill Clinton, academics, and billionaires. The revelations about the abuse scandal have already discredited former British Prince Andrew, who maintained contact with Epstein and recently had to relinquish his titles.

What is at stake for Trump?

Speculation about Trump's specific involvement in the abuse scandal has repeatedly resurfaced in the past. Trump associated with Epstein in New York and as a neighbor in Palm Beach, Florida, starting in the 1990s. Videos and photos suggest a friendship between the two men.

Recently released documents included an email from Epstein to Trump. In it, Epstein wrote that Trump"knew about the girls." He also stated that he had spent "hours" with one of his abuse victims. In early September, Democrats posted a copy of an alleged birthday greeting online, which Trump supposedly sent to Epstein more than 20 years ago. The Republican denied being the author of the message.

So far, no personal wrongdoing has been proven against the president. Shortly before the congressional vote, Trump reiterated that he had"nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein." In recent months, the president has called the Epstein affair a"hoax" perpetrated by the Democratic Party to distract from his own achievements.

Could Trump still exert influence?

Indeed, some fear that the Justice Department could remove references to the president – not least because the Justice Department has repeatedly yielded to public pressure from Trump and complied with demands, which has fueled doubts about its independence.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told CNN:"I have absolutely no confidence that this Justice Department will be impartial or fair in releasing these documents." He added that it was therefore all the more important for Congress to monitor the release in a bipartisan manner."The Justice Department has become a weapon in Trump's arsenal."

Critics view the president's maneuvering with suspicion: They argue that the release of the investigative files should have first gone through the legislative process. Trump could have ordered their release directly. This would have significantly expedited the process and rendered the votes in both houses of Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate—unnecessary.