President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have pledged to release Justice Department files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein if they are elected. However, their administration has faced criticism for not providing more information about the investigation or releasing all relevant files. This has raised concerns among both Republicans and Democrats regarding Trump's past connections to Epstein.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked about the potential release of Epstein's client list. She stated, "It’s sitting on my desk right now to review," clarifying later that she was referring to Epstein case files, not a client list. The Justice Department has shared binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" with conservative bloggers and influencers, although most of the evidence had already been made public. Bondi's team did not inform White House officials before distributing these binders, according to sources.

The House's Task Force on the Declassification of Federal Secrets has demanded the release of the Epstein files in a letter to Bondi, but she did not respond by the May 16 deadline. A joint statement from the DOJ and FBI indicated that a review found no evidence of a client list or any basis for a criminal investigation of uncharged individuals. They also released hours of footage related to Epstein's death in 2019, which was later revealed to have missing segments.

In response to criticism from conservative influencers, Trump defended Bondi on social media, praising her work and urging his supporters to stop the backlash. Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna are pushing for a House vote on a discharge petition to release the Epstein files. House Speaker Mike Johnson has called for Bondi to explain her handling of the investigation. Although signatures for the petition are increasing, they have not yet reached the 218 needed to advance.

When asked about his discussions with Bondi regarding the Epstein files, Trump stated, "No, no, she's given us just a very quick briefing," and made unsubstantiated claims that the files were created by his political adversaries. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal attorney, interviewed Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Sources indicate that Maxwell initiated this meeting.

A month later, the Justice Department released a transcript of the interview, which was not conducted under oath. In it, Maxwell claimed there was no client list. Additionally, the DOJ announced her transfer from a low-security federal prison in Florida to a minimum-security camp in Texas.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a 238-page document containing Epstein's 50th birthday book, which includes a prologue by Maxwell and a page allegedly written by Trump. This page features a typed letter inside a doodle of a woman's body, with Trump's signature placed in a provocative location. Trump has denied writing or signing the letter.

The committee also released emails from the Epstein estate, including one where Epstein claimed Trump "spent hours at my house" with one of the victims. The White House accused the committee of selectively leaking emails to create a misleading narrative about Trump. Later, Arizona Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn into office, becoming the final signature needed for the discharge petition to surpass the 218 threshold. Johnson announced plans to bring a bill to vote on the release of the Epstein files next week.