President Trump said Tuesday that the country should move on from the Jeffrey Epstein controversy following the Justice Department’s release of nearly three million additional documents late last week, a disclosure that has reignited political debate and public scrutiny.
“I think it’s really time for the country to get on to something else,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The newly released materials include thousands of photos of Epstein’s properties, emails, flight logs, and tips submitted to the FBI through the National Threat Operations Center. Trump said he has not read the files.
The documents reference several high-profile individuals, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton, billionaire Elon Musk, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. None of those named have been accused of criminal wrongdoing, though their inclusion has drawn renewed attention to past associations with Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Trump dismissed the mentions of Musk and Lutnick, saying, “I’m sure they’re fine.” He also reiterated his long-standing claim that the latest release clears him of wrongdoing, asserting that a “conspiracy” had been directed at him and was perpetuated by “Epstein and other people.”
“I think it’s time now for the country to maybe get onto something else like health care,” Trump said. “Something that people care about.”
Despite the president’s remarks, the Epstein files continue to be a contentious issue during Trump’s second term. Lawmakers from both parties have criticized the administration’s handling of the investigation and the transparency surrounding the release of records related to Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Initially, the Justice Department resisted calls to make the files public. That position shifted last November when Trump urged Republicans to support legislation requiring their release. The resulting measure, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, was quickly signed into law after passing Congress.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the department had completed its review in accordance with the statute.
“This review is over,” Blanche said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I mean we reviewed over 6 million pieces of paper, thousands of videos, thousands — tens of thousands of images … which is what the statute required us to do.”
However, some lawmakers dispute that characterization. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a co-author of the law, said the department has not fully complied. Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are seeking access to the complete, unredacted files.
“They’ve released, at best, half the documents. But even those shock the conscience of this country,” Khanna said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He added that the records describe communications involving wealthy individuals, business leaders, and politicians discussing travel to Epstein’s private island, despite knowing Epstein was a pedophile.
Under the law, the Justice Department is permitted to redact victims’ identities and information that could compromise an ongoing federal investigation. It does not allow redactions solely to prevent embarrassment, reputational harm, or political fallout.
On Monday, the Justice Department acknowledged removing “several thousands of documents and media” from public access, stating they may have inadvertently included information identifying victims. The department cited “technical or human error” for the issue.
