A fierce bipartisan backlash is erupting in Washington over the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, with Attorney General Pam Bondi facing the threat of being held in contempt of Congress.
Contempt Threats and Unreleased Documents
Lawmakers from both parties are expressing fury at the Department of Justice's continued failure to fully release documents related to the late financier and convicted sex offender. Representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, who spearheaded the initial House effort to force disclosure, are now leading the charge to hold Attorney General Bondi in inherent contempt. They argue the DOJ has failed to comply with a November law that mandated the files be made public by Friday, 20 December 2025.
The Justice Department has acknowledged it still possesses 'hundreds of thousands of pages' of unreleased material. Officials claim the delays are necessary to protect the identities of victims and minors, insisting that no redactions are being made to shield famous or politically exposed persons. A team of roughly 200 lawyers is reportedly reviewing the files.
Whistleblowers Called Upon
In response to the delays, Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia of California has publicly called for whistleblowers within the FBI and DOJ to come forward. Speaking on MS NOW, Garcia stated, 'What they need to understand is that there are hundreds of FBI agents and others that are good American patriots that have worked to put these files together. They know what is in them.' He emphasised the existence of legal protections for those who disclose information to Congress.
Survivors of Epstein's abuse have voiced profound disappointment with the heavily redacted documents released so far. Marina Lacerda, a Brazilian-born survivor, told Sky News the partial release left her in shock. 'We see that there is nothing there that is transparent,' she said. 'So it's very sad, it's very disappointing.'
Photo Controversy and Political Fallout
The controversy was further fuelled when the DOJ temporarily removed, then restored, a photograph from the released files. The image showed a drawer containing multiple pictures of Donald Trump, including one with him, Melania Trump, Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell. The DOJ stated the image was initially pulled 'out of an abundance of caution' to review for victim identities before being reposted unaltered.
Attorney General Bondi faced immediate criticism after posting on X, vowing to prosecute anyone involved in Epstein's crimes. Representative Khanna responded directly, writing, 'Your promise to prosecute rich & powerful men who were at Epstein's rape island would be more credible if you stop breaking... my law.'
The political pressure is reportedly getting to the President. Congressman Khanna claimed Trump is 'very frustrated' that his usual tactics for moving past scandals are not working with the Epstein case, and that he is losing support from parts of his MAGA base over the issue.
Meanwhile, the newly released files have provided harrowing new details, including allegations from a 2020 lawsuit describing how Epstein and Maxwell allegedly approached their first known underage victim at a Michigan arts camp in 1994. The suit also alleges Epstein later introduced that teenager to Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. The White House has reiterated that Trump 'never did anything wrong' and had previously kicked Epstein out of his club.
As the deadline passes, the focus now shifts to whether congressional pressure will force fuller disclosure or if internal whistleblowers will emerge to reveal what remains hidden in the vast, unreleased Epstein archive.
