Congress Passes Transparency Act and Sets Dec 19 Deadline Congress approved the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Nov 18, 2025 and President Trump signed it the next day, obligating the Justice Department to publish all unclassified investigative records within 30 days, i.e., by Dec 19, 2025 [1][2]. The law covers immunity agreements, internal communications, flight logs, address books, and other materials gathered during the investigations [2]. It also permits the DOJ to redact or withhold documents that would invade privacy, reveal child sexual abuse details, or jeopardize active investigations [2].

Federal Judges Order Grand Jury Transcripts for Publication Manhattan judge (Engelmayer) and a Florida judge (Rodney Smith) each granted the DOJ permission to release grand‑jury transcripts from the Epstein and Maxwell sex‑trafficking cases, invoking the Transparency Act to override traditional secrecy rules [1][3]. The Florida transcripts, covering a 2006‑07 grand jury inquiry, are slated for public release by the Dec 19 deadline [3]. These orders also extend to a 2021 New York Maxwell case, signaling broader unsealing of related files [3].

DOJ Confirms No Client List or Blackmail Evidence In July, the Justice Department issued a letter stating its review found no incriminating “client list” of prominent individuals nor credible evidence that Epstein engaged in blackmail [1][2]. This finding directly contradicts earlier rumors and statements by officials such as former Attorney General Pam Bondi [1]. The memo underscores that the alleged list, long cited in media narratives, does not exist in the released records [2].

Withholding Rules and Existing Public Records Shape Release The act allows the DOJ to withhold material that could compromise ongoing probes, national‑defense interests, or personal privacy, even as thousands of pages—including flight logs, surveillance video of Epstein’s death, and address books—are already publicly accessible [2][3]. Bondi has also ordered a separate probe into Epstein’s associates, a move that may temporarily delay certain documents under the law’s exemption provisions [1]. Together, the statutory deadline, judicial orders, and selective redactions define the scope of what the public will see after Dec 19 [1][3].