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By Jason Lemon
Deputy News Director
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The Department of Justice (DOJ), Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, told Newsweek on Friday, continues to withhold files related to Jeffrey Epstein, despite Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that Friday's release of more than 3 million files was the final tranche.
"The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions. This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld," Khanna told Newsweek in an email after the release.
Khanna, along with Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, led the November effort to pass the Epstein Files Transparence Act, which compelled the DOJ to release the documents.
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"I will be reviewing closely to see if they release what I’ve been pushing for: the FBI 302 victim interview statements, a draft indictment and prosecution memorandum prepared during the 2007 Florida investigation, and hundreds of thousands of emails and files from Epstein’s computers," Khanna said. "Failing to release these files only shields the powerful individuals who were involved and hurts the public’s trust in our institutions.”
Blanche said during a Friday press conference that the 6 million number previously stated was a result of the DOJ erring on the side of "over collection," which he said they believed would best "ensure maximum transparency." He added that this "necessarily means that the number of responsive pages is significantly smaller than the total number of pages initially collected."
Newsweek has reached out to the DOJ and Massie for comment on Friday.
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Why It Matters
The Trump administration has faced criticism for the slow and incomplete release of files relating to Epstein, despite pressure from Republicans within the MAGA movement, sparking calls for investigations and potential penalties against the DOJ and its leadership. Some of that criticism has focused on allegations that the DOJ sought to protect or at least redact all references to President Donald Trump, who had a friendship with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Epstein Files Released On Friday
Blanche said the latest disclosure includes more than 3 million pages of documents, along with more than 2,000 videos and roughly 180,000 images. The materials were posted to the department’s website and represent part of a larger collection that officials said was withheld from an initial document release in December.
“After submitting the final report to Congress as required under the act and publishing the written justifications for redactions in the federal registry, the department’s obligations under the act will be completed,” Blanche said during a Friday press conference.
Blanche also poured cold water on the files providing new information on men abusing women.
"If we learn about information and evidence that allows us to prosecute them, you better believe we will. But I don't think the public, or you all, are going to uncover men within the Epstein files that abused women, unfortunately," he said in a response to a journalist's question.
Khanna and Massie have said they could push to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt, while Khanna previously floated the possibility of impeachment.
Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law on November 19, the DOJ had 30 days to publicly release all unclassified records, files, communications and investigative materials on Epstein. However, the DOJ missed the deadline for releasing most of the files and told a court this month that it had released only 12,285 files since being compelled to do so.
What People Are Saying
The White House referred Newsweek to DOJ's press release: "This production may include fake or falsely submitted images, documents or videos, as everything that was sent to the FBI by the public was included in the production that is responsive to the Act. Some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election. To be clear, the claims are unfounded and false, and if they have a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already."
Khanna to MS NOW on Friday: "The survivors just want a transparent release. If Blanche believes that there is no cover-up, then he should release the 302 files. The 302 files are where the survivors name who these rich and powerful men are. I have talked to the survivors. They say that they have named those people in the FBI witness interviews. If those witness interviews are released, the American people can see for themselves who the survivors named and can come to their own judgment of their guilt. But if Blanche continues to not release the 302 statements, to not release the prosecution memos, then it's a cover-up."
Representative Melanie Stansbury, a New Mexico Democrat, on X on Friday: "Todd Blanche told reporters this morning that there are no names in the Epstein files. He is lying. 1. We have already seen names of co-conspirators, and the survivors themselves have told us that they gave sworn statements to police and the FBI that are in the files. 2. Donald Trump himself told MTG his friends would get hurt if the full files were released. This. Is. A. Cover-up. Plain and simple."
DNC communications director Rosemary Boeglin said in a statement emailed to Newsweek: "We will continue to demand transparency, including the 3 million documents the DOJ still refuses to release. If these are the kinds of disgusting allegations that are in the first batch, it is horrifying to imagine what they are hiding. Release all the files.”
Update 1/30/26, 2:15 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and comment.
Update 1/30/26, 6:06 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional comment.
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