The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has disclosed that there are still 5.2 million pages of Epstein files awaiting review. To assist in the process until late January, the DOJ is seeking the help of 400 lawyers from four different department offices, as per a government document examined by Reuters. This development indicates a delay in the final release of the documents beyond the initial deadline set by Congress on December 19.
The White House and the DOJ have not yet responded to requests for comments from Reuters. Following a transparency law passed by Congress, the Trump administration directed the DOJ to release files related to criminal investigations involving Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased financier and convicted sex offender who had ties with President Donald Trump in the 1990s.
The review process will involve the participation of 400 attorneys from the Criminal Division, National Security Division, FBI, and U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan. These lawyers are expected to dedicate three to five hours daily to review about 1,000 documents each day. The DOJ has introduced telework options and time off incentives for volunteers.
Recent findings by the DOJ have uncovered over a million additional documents potentially linked to Epstein. Despite efforts to keep the files sealed, the law mandates the public release of all Epstein-related files, with redactions in place to protect victims. The partial disclosures have faced criticism for heavy redactions, causing frustration among some Republicans and adding to the controversy ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
President Trump has acknowledged his past social acquaintance with Epstein but denied knowledge of the financier’s illicit activities. Epstein was previously convicted in Florida in 2008 for sex-related offenses and was later charged with sex trafficking by the DOJ in 2019. His death in a New York jail in 2019 was ruled a suicide.
The DOJ has assured the public that lawyers are diligently working to review and redact the documents according to legal requirements for victim protection. The release of the files is expected to take a few more weeks due to the substantial volume of material.