Washington: Jeffrey Epstein’s files have once again drawn international attention, revealing connections to prominent faces across politics, business and entertainment. Though he died in 2019, his documents continue to create challenges for governments, business leaders and public figures across the world.
While some reports connected US President Donald Trump to the files, he had actually ordered their release following pressure from supporters and Republican lawmakers who demanded transparency in Epstein’s investigations. After initially hesitating, Trump encouraged lawmakers to vote in favour of public disclosure.
The Congress passed legislation requiring the Department of Justice to release the files, which Trump signed in November. Certain material are confidential, including documents related to ongoing criminal cases, victim identities, private information and images involving child abuse or death.
The Epstein files date back to 2008, when parents reported that he had abused a 14-year-old girl at his Palm Beach residence. Investigations uncovered evidence of similar crimes involving multiple minors. Epstein was convicted of sex trafficking minors and registered as a sex offender, avoiding long imprisonment through a plea deal in Florida.
In 2019, further allegations emerged that he operated a network exploiting underage girls. Epstein died in jail before standing trial, with authorities ruling his death a suicide. Investigations generated thousands of documents, including witness statements and evidence seized from his properties.
A 2025 Justice Department memo indicated the FBI holds over 300 gigabytes of data, including images and videos related to child exploitation, which are not being released publicly to protect survivors.
Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for participating in the trafficking of girls. The released files contain over three million documents, including previously public material like flight logs and property records. Certain items, such as a birthday book referencing Trump, drew attention, though the president denied writing the note.
The first batch of files released in February 2025 included 341 pages, largely containing publicly available information, with many names redacted.
Other prominent names mentioned include Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton and Michael Jackson. Flight logs also listed Elon Musk and Prince Andrew’s brother, Lord Mountbatten-Windsor. Musk confirmed Epstein had invited him to an island but said he declined. Emails released in November showed links between Epstein, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Trump’s associate Steve Bannon, with both admitting they knew him. Trump’s name appears many times in the files, but he has always denied any wrongdoing.
Trump and Epstein were socially acquainted for years, attending elite parties and appearing together in photographs, including at Mar-a-Lago in 1997. Epstein described Trump as a close friend for a decade. The US president stated they had a falling out years before Epstein’s first arrest, claiming Epstein was removed from his club for inappropriate behaviour. Some Trump supporters believe critical information about Epstein’s life and death is still being withheld and that a wider network of child exploitation may have protection at high levels.
Epstein’s death continues to raise questions. He was found dead on August 10, 2019, in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. The medical examiner ruled it a suicide by hanging, though the Bureau of Prisons initially described it as a “possible suicide”, prompting conspiracy theories. The Justice Department investigated the circumstances of his death, acknowledging “serious irregularities” in the jail, which housed other high-profile inmates.
Two guards were suspended and a warden temporarily removed after reports indicated required checks on Epstein were not properly conducted.
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