Democracy Forward filed the first FOIA lawsuit against the Trump administration on August 8, 2025, seeking release of the Epstein files through legal action after the administration’s reversal on transparency promises.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer escalated dramatically on August 5, 2025, by issuing 11 subpoenas: one to the DOJ demanding complete files by August 19, depositions from Bill and Hillary Clinton, and testimony from six former attorneys general and two former FBI directors. The selection notably …
The House Oversight subcommittee voted 8-2 to subpoena the DOJ for Epstein files on July 23, 2025, with three Republicans—Nancy Mace (R-SC), Scott Perry (R-PA), and Brian Jack (R-GA)—breaking ranks to join Democrats in demanding transparency. This bipartisan rebellion followed the DOJ’s July 7 …
Trump posted on Truth Social on July 16, 2025, calling the Epstein files issue the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” and attacking disappointed supporters as “weaklings” and “past supporters” whose support he no longer wanted. This represented a complete reversal from his …
The DOJ released a two-page memo on July 7, 2025, declaring “no incriminating ‘client list’” existed, that Epstein died by suicide, and that “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” This directly contradicted Attorney General Bondi’s …
DOJ posted July 7 memo stating no Epstein “client list” exists and no further files would be released, contradicting AG Pam Bondi’s earlier claim list was “sitting on my desk.” Memo stated “systematic review revealed no incriminating ‘client …
Elon Musk deleted his June 5 post about Trump being in the Epstein files and apologized on June 11, saying his comments “went too far.” However, he would return to the attack after the DOJ’s July 7 memo.
Elon Musk posted on X/Twitter on June 5, 2025: “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.” The post garnered over 10 million views before Musk deleted it on June 11 with an apology, saying his …
In mid-May 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed Donald Trump that his name appeared multiple times throughout the Epstein documents. According to sources who spoke to WSJ and CNN, the files contained “several unsubstantiated claims about Trump and others that the Justice Department found …
Attorney General Bondi briefed Trump that his name appeared multiple times in Epstein files, revealing consciousness of guilt regarding financial crimes rather than sex trafficking allegations.
The Trump administration staged a theatrical “Phase 1” release on February 27, 2025, inviting right-wing influencers to the White House to receive binders, though these contained mostly previously leaked materials rather than new revelations.
Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News host John Roberts on February 21, 2025 that the Epstein client list was “sitting on my desk right now to review,” claiming it was a directive from President Trump. This statement was later contradicted by a July 2025 DOJ memo stating no client …
Elon Musk’s October 2024 claim on Tucker Carlson’s show that billionaires backing Kamala Harris were “terrified” of the Epstein list becoming public garnered 56.7 million views and set the stage for post-election pressure on Trump to release the files.