U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Justice to release additional documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, following mounting pressure from conservative supporters and renewed media scrutiny.
In a statement posted online, Trump said he had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to “produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to court approval,” citing what he called the “ridiculous amount of publicity” surrounding Epstein.
It remains unclear whether Trump’s directive is intended to make the documents publicly available, as grand jury records are typically sealed and require judicial authorization for release. Bondi responded minutes later, stating: “We are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts.”
The announcement comes on the heels of controversy involving a 2003 birthday greeting allegedly bearing Trump’s name and sent to Epstein. The Wall Street Journal reported that the message, framed by a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, contained a fictionalized conversation between the two men and ended with the line, “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump has vehemently denied the authenticity of the letter, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory,” and threatening legal action against the newspaper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch. “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures,” Trump wrote on social media.
The Wall Street Journal claims the letter was part of a compilation of greetings curated by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who was convicted in 2021 of helping traffic underage girls and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Trump’s renewed focus on the Epstein case follows backlash from his own base after Attorney General Bondi backtracked on earlier promises to expose high-profile names tied to Epstein’s infamous “client list” and flight logs. Bondi recently stated the Justice Department found no evidence of such a list and confirmed its position that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The reversal sparked outrage among Trump-aligned influencers, with some calling for Bondi’s resignation. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk welcomed Trump’s latest move, calling it “massive” and a “victory for the grassroots.”
Trump had pledged during his 2024 campaign to declassify materials related to Epstein’s criminal activities. While some documents from Epstein’s 2006 Florida case have already been released, questions remain over whether new disclosures would cover the more serious federal charges filed in 2019.
Legal experts caution that any release of grand jury materials could be legally complex and politically risky, potentially drawing Trump deeper into a case that continues to generate intense public interest and conspiracy theories.
As pressure mounts, all eyes now turn to the courts, which will determine whether any further documents can be unsealed.
Written By Rodney Mbua
