The Department of Justice warned on December 23, 2025, that some material in the latest public release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein contains “untrue and sensationalist claims” about President Donald Trump.
In a statement, the department said the documents include unverified tips the FBI received ahead of the 2020 election and that the assertions about the president are unfounded.
Officials said the release proceeded to meet legal obligations and transparency requirements. The department added that if any of the claims had held up under scrutiny, they would have surfaced in earlier investigative or prosecutorial actions.
The statement reiterated that publication of the materials does not validate their accuracy.
What the New Documents Show
Among the files is a January 7, 2020, email from an unnamed prosecutor in the Southern District of New York stating that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet at least eight times in the 1990s.
The email says Epstein and associate Ghislaine Maxwell were on some flights and that two included passengers described as “possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.” The message notes that prosecutors did not want those details to become a surprise later.
The tranche also includes multiple tips to the FBI about Trump’s alleged interactions with Epstein in the early 2000s. It is unclear how those tips were handled, whether any were corroborated, or if any played a role in the prosecutions of Epstein or Maxwell. Trump has said he ended his friendship with Epstein before Epstein faced criminal charges.
A Letter of Disputed Authenticity
One document appears to be a letter Epstein wrote to former physician Larry Nassar, a convicted child molester, postmarked three days after Epstein’s death in 2019.
The note references Trump and includes a vulgar description of “young, nubile girls.” The authenticity of the letter is unknown. An accompanying FBI form in the file set requests a handwriting analysis, which indicates the question remained open at the time the materials were compiled.
The presence of the letter has added to the controversy around the release, although officials stressed that inclusion of an item in the database does not mean the government endorses its contents. Investigators routinely catalog tips, artifacts, and correspondence that may never meet evidentiary standards.
Why the Files Are Being Released
The Department of Justice began posting tens of thousands of pages last week under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which became law on November 19, 2025. The statute imposed a 30-day deadline for releasing all unclassified material tied to the Epstein and Maxwell cases.
The law allows redactions to protect victims, preserve ongoing investigative or litigation equities, and address national defense or foreign policy concerns. It also directs the department not to remove details solely because they could be damaging to high-profile or politically connected people.
The deadline passed on December 19. The Justice Department has said additional files will be posted by the new year, citing the need to comply with other legal requirements, including protections for victim identities.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on national television that there is well-settled law permitting the department to complete necessary reviews even if that means the rolling release continues beyond the date specified in the statute.
