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US Justice Department files motion to unseal grand jury transcripts in Epstein case
A protest group called "Hot Mess" hold up signs of Jeffrey Epstein and President Donald Trump in front of the Federal courthouse on July 8, 2019 in New York City. File Photo/AFP
The US Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to unseal grand jury transcripts in the Jeffrey Epstein case after US President Donald Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to 'produce any and all' testimony related to the case.
'The public's interest in the Epstein matter has remained. Given this longstanding and legitimate interest, the government now moves to unseal grand jury transcripts associated with Epstein,' the DOJ said in its filing.
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The move is expected to quell widespread discontent over the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files, as the president's Maga base demanded the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's death and his alleged 'client list'.
The department said that the recent review of the transcripts was to 'determine whether evidence existed that could predicate an investigation into uncharged third parties.'
The president's orders on Thursday came hours after he slammed the Wall Street Journal and threatened to sue it for releasing "fake" letters that Trump allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003.
The Journal story, which quickly reverberated around the US capital, says the note to Epstein bearing Trump's signature was part of a collection of notes for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. The newspaper says it reviewed the letter but did not print an image.
When will the files be made public?
While the first steps to unseal the transcripts have been set in motion, it is not yet clear when the files will be made public.
Before deciding on the matter, the judge must first consult with the victims and any uncharged individuals mentioned in the testimony, as their identities are protected under federal law. Depending on the timeline established, this process could take weeks, months, or even longer to complete.
According to a report by CNN, the grand jury testimony is only a small portion of the thousands of documents related to the Epstein investigation and criminal case, many of which are in the DOJ's custody.
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Trump sues WSJ, Murdoch
Trump sued media magnate Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal on Friday over the publication of a bombshell report on his friendship with Epstein.
The defamation lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, saw Trump trying to hit back at a scandal threatening to cause serious political damage.
The 79-year-old Republican had vowed to sue 'the ass off' Murdoch and his newspaper after it reported that in 2003, the then-real estate magnate wrote a suggestive birthday letter to Epstein, illustrated with a naked woman and referring to their shared 'secret.'
With inputs from agencies
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