Justice Department discloses Epstein file allegation

Washington — The U. S. Justice Department has released additional records linked to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, including FBI interview summaries describing an uncorroborated allegation involving President Donald Trump, a disclosure that has intensified scrutiny over the government’s handling of files connected to the disgraced financier.

The documents, made public late Thursday, contain summaries of interviews conducted by federal investigators with an unidentified woman who alleged that Trump attempted to engage in a sexual encounter with her when she was a minor in the 1980s after being introduced by Epstein. Officials emphasised that the claim has not been substantiated and that investigators did not establish evidence supporting the accusation.

Justice Department officials said the files were initially omitted from earlier disclosures due to a coding error that incorrectly categorised the records as duplicates during a large-scale review of millions of documents tied to Epstein’s criminal network. After journalists and lawmakers raised concerns about missing material, the department reviewed the archive and published the interview summaries along with other documents.

The newly released material outlines four FBI interviews carried out in 2019 with the woman, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed. Investigators attempted to evaluate the credibility of her account as part of a broader probe into Epstein’s activities and associates. According to the summaries, the woman said she was between 13 and 15 years old when Epstein introduced her to Trump at a property linked to the financier.

Officials noted that the woman eventually declined to continue cooperating with investigators and expressed doubts about the usefulness of further interviews. The FBI ended its engagement with her later that year, and the documents indicate that her account remained unverified by the end of the inquiry.

Trump and his representatives have strongly rejected the allegations. The White House described the claims as baseless and unsupported by credible evidence, reiterating the president’s long-standing position that he had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct.

Trump has acknowledged knowing Epstein socially during the 1990s and early 2000s, when both moved within similar circles in New York and Florida. He has repeatedly stated that he distanced himself from Epstein years before the financier’s 2008 conviction on charges related to soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The release comes amid heightened political pressure surrounding the Epstein archive. Members of Congress from both parties have demanded greater transparency over how federal agencies handled evidence related to Epstein, whose death in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges drew intense public scrutiny and conspiracy theories.

Legislation known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Justice Department to disclose large volumes of records tied to the case, including investigative notes, flight logs, emails and other materials. The law triggered several waves of document releases beginning in late 2025 and continuing into 2026.

Those releases have exposed a vast and complex archive, but they have also drawn criticism over redactions, missing pages and technical errors. Lawmakers have questioned whether the department’s earlier disclosures were incomplete, particularly after media reports highlighted interview notes that appeared absent from the initial batch of files.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has defended the department’s handling of the process, saying the sheer volume of material and the need to protect victims’ identities make the review challenging. Officials have said millions of pages of records have been processed as part of the transparency effort.

The Epstein case has long attracted global attention due to the financier’s connections with wealthy and influential figures across politics, finance and entertainment. Epstein was accused by federal prosecutors of operating a network that exploited underage girls over many years, allegations that surfaced through civil lawsuits and criminal investigations spanning decades.

Although documents from the archive mention a number of prominent individuals, investigators have repeatedly cautioned that inclusion in the files does not imply wrongdoing. Many references involve witness statements, unverified tips or social contacts rather than confirmed criminal conduct.

Advocates for survivors of sexual abuse say the disclosure of records is important for understanding how Epstein operated and how authorities responded to allegations against him over time. At the same time, legal experts note that large document releases often contain claims that remain untested in court, requiring careful interpretation.