--- title: Trump Administration Seeks Epstein Grand Jury Files description: "I have asked the Justice Department to release all grand jury testimony with respect to Epstein, subject only to court approval." canonical: https://time.com/7303784/trump-administration-doj-grand-jury-epstein-files-release-motion/ author: Rebecca Schneid article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-07-19T17:44:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2025-07-24T00:02:14.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Requests Release of Epstein Grand Jury Files—What Now? og:description: "I have asked the Justice Department to release all grand jury testimony with respect to Epstein," Trump said. og:url: https://time.com/7303784/trump-administration-doj-grand-jury-epstein-files-release-motion/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a5b53a59abeec5c/6998c86047fe514d6d55be8d/GettyImages-2222468084.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: President Trump Speaks On Recent Supreme Court Rulings At The White House og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Requests Release of Epstein Grand Jury Files—What Now? twitter:description: "I have asked the Justice Department to release all grand jury testimony with respect to Epstein," Trump said. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3a5b53a59abeec5c/6998c86047fe514d6d55be8d/GettyImages-2222468084.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Administration Requests Release of Epstein Grand Jury Files. What Happens Next?  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Jul 24, 2025 12:02 AM UTCPublished: Jul 19, 2025 5:44 PM UTC  President Donald Trump, joined by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks in the briefing room of the White House on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump, joined by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks in the briefing room of the White House on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C.Joe Raedle—Getty Images  by [Rebecca Schneid](https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Reporter Updated: Jul 24, 2025 12:02 AM UTCPublished: Jul 19, 2025 5:44 PM UTC The Department of Justice (DOJ) [followed through](https://time.com/7303744/trump-epstein-doj-grand-jury-testimony/#) on [President Donald Trump](https://time.com/7303635/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter/)’s request and filed a motion on July 18 for the grand jury transcripts related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to be released. A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday, July 23, [denied one of the DOJ's requests](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.693993/gov.uscourts.flsd.693993.4.0.pdf) to unseal grand jury transcripts. Judge Robin Rosenberg decided that the DOJ's request in Florida did not qualify for any of the exceptions to the rules that require grand jury records be kept secret. A request was filed in the state as two federal grand juries were held in West Palm Beach in 2005 and 2007 to investigate Epstein. However, two federal judges in New York are still considering requests from the DOJ to unseal grand jury records. Prosecutors in New York previously brought cases against Epstein and his long-time right-hand Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell [was sentenced to 20 years in prison](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/ghislaine-maxwell-sentenced-20-years-prison-conspiring-jeffrey-epstein-sexually-abuse) in 2022 for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors. In a separate course of action, the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday [issued a subpoena to Maxwell for a deposition](https://x.com/RepJamesComer/status/1948098201338388710) that is scheduled to take place on Aug. 11 at the Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee where she is currently imprisoned. According to the chairman of the committee, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the "Department of Justice is cooperating and will help facilitate the deposition at the prison." Signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, the [motion](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.518649/gov.uscourts.nysd.518649.61.0%5F1.pdf) to unseal the grand jury records came amid a frenzied media storm and calls for transparency regarding the Epstein files, fueled by the release of a [memo](https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline) from the DOJ and FBI earlier this month, which refuted various conspiracy theories that continue to loom large. There are also persistent questions about the history of Trump and Epstein’s [relationship](https://time.com/7302268/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-timeline-relationship-2/), as the two previously socialized. Trump spoke out about the grand jury request via [Truth Social on July 19](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114880074981803996). "I have asked the Justice Department to release all grand jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, subject only to court approval," he said. "With that being said, and even if the court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request. It will always be more, more, more." Trump’s instruction regarding the grand jury files has done little to settle the calls for more transparency, as he has not ordered the release of the DOJ files pertaining to Epstein, which are the documents that many—including prominent voices [within the MAGA community](https://time.com/7302426/jeffrey-epstein-files-trump-takeaways/)—are eager to see. [Trump has strongly defended Bondi as she continues to come](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114842356238631061) under fire for not releasing the Epstein files in full. There are long-standing calls to see a so-called "client list" supposedly belonging to Epstein. (Although the recently-released memo reports there’s no evidence such a list exists.) Bondi's previous release of some files [were heavily redacted](https://time.com/7262542/pam-bondi-jeffrey-epstein-files/) and informed the public of little they had not learned before, prompting wide backlash. A [letter](https://x.com/judiciarydems/status/1946246860974305447?s=46) sent on July 18 by Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Democratic whip and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, to the heads of the DOJ and FBI also alleges that the FBI instructed agents to “flag” any mention of Trump while reviewing files related to Epstein earlier this year. On July 20, Epstein's former attorney, Alan Dershowitz, said the grand jury transcripts will not reveal as much about the case as other files. “Grand jury information is narrowly tailored by prosecutors only to provide sufficient evidence to result in an indictment,” Dershowitz [said on _Fox News Sunday_](https://www.foxnews.com/video/6375881901112). “What’s much, much more important is discovery information, depositions, and other things that came out of the Ghislaine Maxwell case, that came out of other cases that were pending in front of federal judges, and, for example, the case involving [Prince Andrew.](https://time.com/5735362/prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-royal-family/) All of that should be revealed, as well.” Dershowitz said he believes Maxwell would be "willing to testify” before Congress about Epstein, providing she was offered immunity and an assurance that her testimony could not be used against her. “She is the Rosetta Stone. She arranged every single trip with everybody. She knows everything," said Dershowitz. “I’m told that she actually would be willing to testify, and there’d be no reason for her to withhold any information.” [](mailto:?subject=Epstein%27s%20former%20lawyer%20says%20grand%20jury%20transcripts%20not%20as%20informative%20as%20discovery%20and%20depositions&body=Checkout%20the%20latest%20news%20from%20CNN%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Ftrump-administration-epstein-files-news-07-20-25%23cmdbrcle600003b6o1f0r13pj)[](mailto:?subject=Epstein%27s%20former%20lawyer%20says%20grand%20jury%20transcripts%20not%20as%20informative%20as%20discovery%20and%20depositions&body=Checkout%20the%20latest%20news%20from%20CNN%3A%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2Fpolitics%2Flive-news%2Ftrump-administration-epstein-files-news-07-20-25%23cmdbrcle600003b6o1f0r13pj) Following the Trump Administration’s request for the release of the Epstein grand jury records, and with judges in New York still considering those requests, here’s what you need to know about what happens next. ## **What is a grand jury and why are the files sealed?** A grand jury consists of 16-23 jurors, according to the [U.S. Courts](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-programs/jury-service/types-juries). A grand jury "focuses on preliminary criminal matters only" and seeks to determine whether there is enough [“probable cause”](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-programs/jury-service/types-juries) to indict an individual under investigation for a crime. Grand jury proceedings are usually kept sealed to protect the safety of individuals investigated who, it may turn out, will not be charged with any crime. The private proceedings are also used to ensure the safety of witnesses who provide testimonies. “Secrecy prevents those under scrutiny from fleeing or importuning the grand jurors, encourages full disclosure by witnesses, and protects the innocent from unwarranted prosecution, among other things,” reads an explanation by [Congress](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45456). Congress also notes that grand jury proceedings have, on occasion, been unsealed for matters of public interest. In 2018, a D.C. court ruled to unseal certain dockets related to independent counsel Ken Starr’s investigation into former President Bill Clinton’s relationship with then-White House intern Monica Lewinsky. **Read More**: [_Why Trump Can’t Put Out the Epstein Fire He Helped Ignite_](https://time.com/7303635/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter/) ## **Why has the Department of Justice made a motion to unseal the grand jury transcripts?** The DOJ’s motion follows mass calls—from both within and outside Trump’s MAGA base—for transparency around the investigation into Epstein. Tensions were exacerbated on July 17 when the [Wall Street _Journal_](https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?gaa%5Fat=eafs&gaa%5Fn=ASWzDAiqrVgiRyOQHi5ltWJ6bo%5FQ7QqNUNZJLSjCc-wYbcjdQ%5F%5FDSli1Dh9xuLLcKUU%3D&gaa%5Fts=687ba69f&gaa%5Fsig=%5FhTn2uoNJKZuxwnfAoZKZt7ARaM6%5FQeyQoeAhMI%5Ft%5F-2sKEuLJwM4IKx-Q4xEAqkuori2ETd81kJRp0Gzaql9g%3D%3D) published an article claiming that in 2003, Trump wrote a birthday letter for Epstein which included a drawing of a naked woman and the signature “Donald.” The article claimed the letter included the note: “Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump called the letter false, saying he [“\[doesn’t\] draw pictures.”](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114871752316281496) He responded by suing the _Journal’s_ publisher Dow Jones and NewsCorp’s owner Rupert Murdoch. "We have just filed a powerhouse lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS 'article' in the useless 'rag' that is, the Wall Street _Journal_," [Trump said](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114876683513144253). "This historic legal action is being brought against the so-called authors of this defamation, the now fully disgraced _WSJ_, as well as its corporate owners and affiliates, with Rupert Murdoch and Robert Thomson (whatever his role is) at the top of the list." Meanwhile, the grand jury-related motion filed on July 18 calls for the Epstein documents to be unsealed due to the “public interest” that shows no signs of waning, though it says that they will continue to redact “victim-related and other personal identifying information” from said documents. The request also called for the release of transcripts related to the indictment and conviction of Epstein’s right-hand, Maxwell. “\[T\]his Court should conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as a matter of public interest, release the associated grand jury transcripts, and lift any preexisting protective orders,” the motion reads. ## **Who decides whether the grand jury files are released and how long could it be until a decision is reached in New York?** According to [Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure](https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-156-disclosure-matters-occurring-grand-jury-department-justice-attys), the secrecy of grand jury proceedings is generally protected, but there are authorized disclosures of certain documents if it is deemed to be legally justifiable. The scope of the grand jury testimonials is unclear, and as the DOJ noted in its motion, the courts will have to consider the privacy of victims named in the testimony and will need to consult with any uncharged people named. All in all, the entire process could take weeks, months, or longer. **Read More**: [_White House Tries to End Trump’s Role in Epstein Saga_](https://time.com/7303241/jeffrey-epstein-trump-special-prosecutor/) ## **How has the Department of Justice previously argued against the release of the Epstein files?** There have long been efforts to gain access to sealed documents related to the Epstein case. In 2017, entertainment website Radar Online [sued the FBI](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.474895/gov.uscourts.nysd.474895.1.0.pdf) for sealed documents related to the case under the Freedom of Information Act. Career federal prosecutor Maurene Comey, daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, [filed a declaration](https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25997444-comeydecradarfoia013024/) in 2024 in which she argued that the Epstein documents could "reasonably be expected to interfere" with Maxwell's pending appeal, since it could impact multiple aspects of the case. Following this declaration, a Federal District Court [upheld](https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.474895/gov.uscourts.nysd.474895.64.0.pdf) the secrecy for the majority of the files. Comey was [fired](https://time.com/7302912/epstein-maurene-comey-trump-fired-prosecutor/) on July 16 as a U.S. federal prosecutor, after serving as one of the lead prosecutors in the cases against Epstein and Maxwell, as well as in the recent [trial](https://time.com/7299214/sean-combs-diddy-trial-verdict-sentencing/) of Sean "Diddy" Combs. Some lawmakers, [including Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff](https://x.com/SenAdamSchiff/status/1945687741548675525) of California, have raised questions over Comey’s firing. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7303784/trump-administration-doj-grand-jury-epstein-files-release-motion/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7303784/trump-administration-doj-grand-jury-epstein-files-release-motion/"},"headline":"Trump Administration Requests Release of Epstein Grand Jury Files. 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