New Epstein Documents Reveal Extensive Ties to Trump, but No Evidence of Wrongdoing

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department released thousands of additional pages from its files on the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein this week, including numerous references to President Trump, flight records from the 1990s and subpoenas related to his Mar-a-Lago resort. The disclosures, part of a congressionally mandated transparency effort, have intensified political scrutiny but have not produced evidence of criminal conduct by the president or other prominent figures named in the materials.

The latest batch, comprising nearly 30,000 pages made public on Monday and Tuesday, follows an initial release last week that drew criticism for heavy redactions and limited new information. Among the documents are internal emails from federal prosecutors noting that Mr. Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet at least eight times in the 1990s, often with family members or associates. One 2020 email from an assistant U.S. attorney highlighted previously underreported trips, including some with unidentified young women whose names were redacted to protect privacy.

Mr. Trump, who socialized with Epstein in New York and Palm Beach social circles during that era, has long maintained that their relationship soured years before Epstein’s 2008 conviction on sex crimes charges in Florida. “I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you,” Mr. Trump said in 2019, adding that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after learning of inappropriate behavior. No accusations of wrongdoing against Mr. Trump have emerged from the files, and the Justice Department emphasized in a statement that some materials include “untrue and sensationalist claims” submitted years ago.

The documents also include two subpoenas issued to Mar-a-Lago seeking employment records, apparently related to the federal case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking. Investigators were examining potential links to staff or visitors at the Florida club, where Epstein had recruited at least one accuser. Additionally, photographs from searches of Epstein’s properties show framed images of Mr. Trump alongside other celebrities, though many such photos were already public.

The releases stem from the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan measure signed by Mr. Trump last month after initial resistance. The law required the department to disclose all unclassified records by mid-December, but officials have cited the discovery of over a million additional documents as reason for a rolling release schedule extending into the new year. Critics, including some Republicans and Democrats, have accused the administration of delays and excessive redactions to shield sensitive information.

Democratic leaders seized on the Trump mentions to renew calls for full disclosure. “The American people deserve the unvarnished truth, without political interference,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, the minority leader. Meanwhile, White House officials dismissed the focus on the president as a distraction from broader accomplishments. “This is an old story being recycled to deflect from real issues,” a spokesman said.

Notable absences in the files include any comprehensive “client list” long rumored in conspiracy circles. Justice Department officials have repeatedly stated no such ledger exists, and much of the material consists of previously leaked flight logs, emails and investigative notes. Other prominent names surface — including former President Bill Clinton, who appears in several photos, and economists like Larry Summers — but again without new allegations of illegality.

Victims’ advocates expressed frustration over the paced rollout. “We’ve waited years for accountability, and partial releases only prolong the pain,” said one attorney representing survivors. The department has pledged to continue processing the expanded trove, potentially uncovering more details in coming weeks.

As the holiday season unfolds, the Epstein saga remains a lingering shadow over Washington, testing alliances across party lines. While the documents illuminate Epstein’s vast network of influence, they have thus far reinforced a familiar narrative: associations with power do not equate to complicity in crime. Yet with more files pending, the full picture may still evolve.