FBI rushing to redact Epstein files ahead of release
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The redaction process has required the reassignment of nearly a thousand FBI agents, many of whom typically focus on critical national security matters.
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The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building is seen June 9, 2023, in Washington, United States. (AP File Photo)
The FBI has ramped up efforts to review and redact thousands of documents tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, with agents working in 12-hour shifts to prepare the next release, CNN reported Saturday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The large-scale operation—spanning FBI headquarters in Washington and field offices in New York and Chantilly, Virginia—was initiated under orders from US Attorney General Pam Bondi. The decision to prioritize the Epstein files comes amid mounting political pressure, especially from President Donald Trump's supporters, who have accused the government of obscuring links between Epstein and influential political and business elites.
"Under Attorney General Bondi's leadership, the Department of Justice is working relentlessly to deliver unprecedented transparency for the American people," a Justice Department spokesperson told CNN.
The redaction process has required the reassignment of nearly a thousand FBI agents, many of whom typically focus on critical national security matters, including counterintelligence efforts related to China and Iran. According to Vanity Fair, some inside the agency have expressed frustration at the sweeping shift in priorities, calling the situation "ludicrous" given the scale of other unresolved cases.
Transparency Struggle
This internal strain follows widespread disappointment over the first batch of released documents in February, which offered little new information beyond what was already publicly known. Attorney General Bondi has since promised that future disclosures will be more extensive, while still complying with privacy and legal protections.
The Justice Department's high-profile push also responds to years of speculation surrounding Epstein's connections to elite circles. Though Epstein died in 2019 while in federal custody—a death officially ruled a suicide—suspicion about the true nature of his network and his death has persisted.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal and New York Magazine report that Bondi's directive includes explicit instructions to limit redactions as much as legally possible, a move allegedly intended to restore public confidence amid claims of a broader cover-up.
The next batch of documents is expected to draw intense scrutiny as the public, media, and political actors continue to seek clarity on who enabled or participated in Epstein's criminal enterprise.
Read more: Trump accused of sexually harassing model he met through Epstein
