Delay on the publication of Jeffrey Epstein files raises questions

On Thursday, February 20, Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated that files in connection with the late sex offender Jeffery Epstein should be published. The fact that they still have to be released raises the questions of republican politicians.

Newsweek has contacted the Ministry of Justice via an online contact form outside of regular working hours.

Why is it important

Epstein, a financed and convicted sex offender, was found dead in a cell in New York Metropolitan Correctional Center in August 2019 while waiting at court hearings. His death was ruled as suicide, but he caused a wave of conspiracy theories due to his well -documented connections to public and powerful figures.

Estimates of the number of girls abused by Epstein vary, with the accounts of a few dozen to more than 100. However, the total number of the victims can be much higher.

Hundreds of court documents, which people named with connections to Epstein, were not sealed. Many of these people were not accused of misconduct and were already public. On the campaign path, President Donald Trump suggested that he would be open to the publication of Epstein's “customer list”. This rumored list is assumed by some that some top -class numbers are implied in sexual crimes.

What to know?

At the conservative political action conference, Bondi was asked by the conservative commentator Benny Johnson about the publication of the list.

Bondi said that she had been informed and cannot speak publicly about it, but added that Trump's guideline was being followed.

Shortly afterwards, conservatives and Trump supporters Bondi's comments cheered, and some expressed the conviction that the list could be published within a few hours.

Now, less than a week after Bondi stated that the files were published, the Republicans question why the files are not yet public. The representative Anna Paulina Luna, who recently announced that she will lead a task force that will lead to the publication of the Federal Secure, including the documents in connection with Epstein, X, formerly Twitter, asked why the files still have to be published.

The representative Tim Burchett, Senator Mike Lee and representative Mike Collins.

For years, online rumors have claimed without proof that there is an extended list of Epstein's “customers”. In January 2024, dozens of Epstein's employees were named on 900 pages of court documents that were not sealed by a New York judge, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, member of the British royal family.

The documents were not the rumored “customer list”, and many of the people mentioned were not accused of misconduct.

What people say

Representative Tim Burchett on X: “Where are the Epstein files @Pambondi?”

Representative Anna Paulina Luna on X: “On February 11th and 19th, @Gopoversight sent a letter to @Thenoicticedptept, in which he was asked for the status when publishing the Epstein files and JFK etc.

Senator Mike Lee on X: “This information – about Epstein, the Las Vegas shooter, the JFK -Anttenat etc. – to the American people. It's about damn time that gains access to them!”

Representative Mike Collins on X: “Publish the Epstein files. Publish the Las Vegas Shooter files. Publish the JFK files.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi at the conservative political action conference: “Donald Trump does not make any empty promises. I think promise that were made to be promised. And that's why we are all there to make his directive on security and successful America.”

What happens next

The Trump government will probably continue to be exposed to pressure from its supporters to release the list.

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