WASHINGTON, 25 December (H.S.): The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday the discovery of more than one million additional documents potentially linked to Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking case, pushing back the full public release by several weeks amid intense congressional pressure to meet a statutory deadline.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York notified the DOJ of the vast cache, which requires exhaustive review and redaction to protect victims' identities before disclosure.

DOJ lawyers are working around the clock on the material, with the department committing to release batches as soon as legally feasible, though the sheer volume means completion could take a few more weeks.

No details emerged on when authorities first identified these files, which swell the total beyond the roughly 130,000 pages already unsealed since December 19.

Law Ignites Bipartisan Backlash

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed nearly unanimously by Congress last month over President Trump's objections and signed into law, mandated full release by December 19, allowing limited redactions for privacy and ongoing probes.

Initial batches on Friday—about 100,000 pages—followed by weekend and Tuesday drops drew criticism for heavy blackouts, prompting vows of contempt proceedings from bipartisan lawmakers like Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.).

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) joined Democrats in demanding an Inspector General audit of DOJ compliance, citing historic hostility from the Trump administration and fears of politicization ahead of 2026 midterms.

Rolling Releases Amid Scrutiny

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News over the weekend that full online availability might arrive by January 2, with ongoing rolling basis disclosures to balance transparency against victim safeguards.

Prior releases referenced President Trump in contexts like jet flights and Mar-a-Lago subpoenas, alongside child-themed artwork and odd decor, fueling public anger over reputational damage.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) decried the process as a coverup, while the DOJ reaffirmed adherence to federal rules, court orders, and Trump's directive for unveiling.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar