DOJ Releases Full Epstein Files! Is the FBI Hiding More?

After much anticipation, the Justice Department released a batch of Epstein files from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday. With speculation running high, many hoped for new revelations, but what the documents actually contained took some by surprise.

Epstein Files Release and Discoveries

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi hinted at the document release on Fox News, following pressure from Republican lawmakers. She cited victim privacy concerns as the reason for the delay. However, promised plenty of flight logs, names, and information by the next day.

On Thursday, a group of right-wing influencers, including Liz Wheeler, Jack Posobiec, and Chaya Raichick of Libs of TikTok, left a White House meeting holding oversized binders labeled The Epstein Files: Phase 1 and The Most Transparent Administration in History.

The files weren’t released to the public until later that day. However, in the meantime, some attendees started downplaying the binders’ content in social media posts.

Not as Fruitful as Expected

Internet personality Chad Prather admitted, “We didn’t get the information we wanted,” while activist Scott Presler called it “not a smoking gun.”

In a live video on X, Liz Wheeler echoed the sentiment, saying, “We’re all waiting for bombshells, we’re all waiting for juicy stuff, and that’s not what’s in this binder at all. That’s exactly how the attorney general presented it to us.”

What Did the Justice Department Release?

On Thursday afternoon, the Justice Department released 10 documents online, including flight logs from Epstein’s private plane, a heavily redacted contact book, and a masseuse list. However, there were no major revelations, as much of the material had already been used in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, according to multiple news outlets.

The Justice Department stated that the first batch of declassified files mostly includes previously leaked documents that had never been officially released by the U.S. government.

Reactions to the Released Epstein Files

The lack of new information in Thursday’s highly anticipated document release left politicians and commentators across the spectrum frustrated. Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer blasted the rollout, calling Pam Bondi “a total liar” and demanding her resignation.

Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who leads a task force on declassifying federal secrets, also expressed frustration, tweeting, “THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR instead of leaking old info to press.”

Is the FBI Hiding Something?

Bondi responded to the backlash by promising more documents, claiming the FBI had withheld key files from her office.

She stated that while the Justice Department received around 200 pages, she later learned that “thousands” of pages related to Epstein’s investigation and indictment had not been disclosed.

Bondi assigned FBI Director Kash Patel to look into the incomplete request and ordered the FBI to hand over the remaining documents by 8 a.m. on Friday. It’s unclear if the agency met that deadline, and the FBI has not responded to NPR’s request for comment.

Several conservative figures who received the binders shifted the blame to the FBI and the Southern District of New York, accusing them of ignoring Bondi’s orders.

“These swamp creatures at SDNY deceived Bondi, Kash, and YOU,” Wheeler tweeted.

What Did Patel Have to Say?

Patel took to X on Thursday, vowing a new era for the FBI with “no cover-ups, no missing documents, and no stone left unturned.” He warned that anyone, past or present, who undermines this effort would be “swiftly pursued.”

“If there are gaps, we will find them. If records have been hidden, we will uncover them,” he added, promising to bring all findings to the DOJ for full transparency.

Jeffrey Epstein Files and… Rickroll?

As the public eagerly awaited the document release on Thursday, the House Judiciary GOP account on X posted in all caps: “#BREAKING: EPSTEIN FILES RELEASED.”

But instead of leading to the documents, the link, labeled “EpsteinFilesV2”, took users to a YouTube video of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” It was a full-blown Rickroll.

It was a classic case of Rickrolling. The infamous online prank has been catching unsuspecting internet users off guard since 2007. (Even NPR got in on the joke back in 2008.)

When Is a Joke Appropriate?

Politicians have pulled this prank before. Nancy Pelosi slipped a Rickroll into a 2009 video celebrating the House’s YouTube launch, and the Obama White House tweeted one in 2011.

But using it in the middle of a discussion about alleged child sex trafficking didn’t sit well with many viewers.

“The amount of people hurt by Epstein is not a joke,” tweeted Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, adding, “Whoever posted this is going to get fired.”

Right-wing commentator Matt Walsh called it a “stunning lack of judgment“. On the other hand, DeSantis campaign aide Christina Pushaw urged, “There’s still time to delete this.”

The tweet has since been removed.

By Friday morning, the account had moved on, posting an unrelated tweet without addressing the controversy.

What Happened to Jeffrey Epstein?

In 2008, Epstein took a controversial plea deal. He pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution in Florida and avoiding more serious federal charges.

In 2019, he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges for allegedly exploiting dozens of underage girls. Some were as young as 14 and paid some to recruit others for powerful men. Later that year, he died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial.

Epstein had connections to powerful figures like Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and Donald Trump. Along with that, people still have lingering questions about his cause of death. He continues to spark intrigue and conspiracy theories years later.

You might also want to read: Secret Files of Jeffrey Epstein to be Released: They ‘Will Make You Sick’