Trump Accuser's FBI Interview Records Removed From Epstein Files
Key Takeaways
- ▶ The DOJ removed FBI interview records of a woman who made allegations of sexual misconduct against Donald Trump as a minor from the Epstein files, The New Republic reported.
- ▶ The FBI interviewed the woman on four separate occasions, but only one of those interviews appeared in the public files — and it was briefly removed and later restored.
- ▶ Attorney General Pam Bondi said Feb. 15 that all Epstein files have been released; the BBC reported that multiple organizations dispute that claim.
- ▶ The DOJ has released approximately 2% of the estimated 50 terabytes of Epstein-related material in government possession.
The Department of Justice removed FBI interview records of a woman who accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct when she was a minor from the publicly released Epstein files, The New Republic reported.1
The FBI spoke with the woman on four separate occasions, according to The New Republic’s reporting.1 Only one of those interviews appeared in the publicly searchable Epstein files — and it was briefly removed and then restored earlier this week.1
The government deemed the woman a “credible accuser,” according to independent journalist Roger Sollenberger, who first reported the story for The New Republic.1 A 21-page slideshow buried in the Epstein document trove included allegations that sometime between 1983 and 1985, Trump forced a woman to give him oral sex when she was in her early teens.2
DOJ Previously Removed Trump Tip Sheet
In a separate but related incident, The New Republic also reported that the DOJ briefly removed a long list of sexual abuse allegations against Trump from the latest Epstein files release.2 The DOJ published approximately three million pages of Epstein files in its most recent release — more than a month past its congressionally mandated deadline — which included an FBI tip line record containing previously unreported allegations against the president, some involving minors.2
The document was removed from the public release and then quietly restored, The New Republic reported.2 The DOJ did not publicly explain the removal or restoration.
Bondi’s Claim Disputed
Attorney General Pam Bondi said during a Feb. 15 statement that all Epstein files in the government’s possession have been released to the public.3 The BBC reported that multiple organizations tracking the Epstein case have documented that substantial portions of federal investigative records remain unreleased.3
An independent analysis found the Trump DOJ released only approximately 2% of Epstein files in its possession, according to The Independent.4 The New Republic reported the DOJ holds an estimated 50 terabytes of Epstein-related material, of which the recent releases — totaling roughly 300 gigabytes — represent a fraction.1
FBI field offices in New York, Miami, and Albuquerque conducted investigations into Epstein’s activities over two decades. The bureau has not publicly stated how many pages of investigative files it reviewed or how many it released under the Epstein Transparency Act, which was signed into law in late 2024 and required federal agencies to review their Epstein-related records.
The DOJ has been accused of flouting the Transparency Act by releasing lists of names drawn from previously public court filings rather than conducting the comprehensive records review the statute requires.5
References
- The New Republic — “DOJ Scrubs Record of Interviews With Trump Accuser From Epstein Files”
- The New Republic — “DOJ Briefly Erases Long List of Tips Against Trump in New Epstein Docs”
- BBC — “Bondi criticised after saying all Epstein files have been released”
- The Independent — “Trump DOJ released only 2% of Epstein files, study shows”
- The Hill — “DOJ accused of flouting law in Epstein name dump”
Jeffrey Epstein
Pam Bondi