Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
What happened
A federal judge in Florida Wednesday denied the Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from that state's investigation into deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The denial came on the same day The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice notified President Donald Trump in a May meeting that his name appears in the Epstein files. Also on Wednesday, a House Oversight subcommittee voted to subpoena the DOJ to turn over additional files related to Epstein's conviction.
Who said what
The court's "hands are tied" when it comes to the administration's request to publish grand jury transcripts, said Judge Robin Rosenberg. The decision was based on "longstanding grand jury secrecy rules" that include "only a few narrow exceptions" unmet by the DOJ's request, said Politico.
The White House has come under "increasing pressure" from Trump's "political base" over its handling of the Epstein investigation, said The Washington Post. And the mystery around it grew Wednesday, with the information about the president's name appearing "multiple times" across the documents in question, said the Journal. But Trump's appearance "isn't a sign of wrongdoing," it said, noting that his Epstein connection "wasn't the focus" of the meeting.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Despite the court's denial, the Justice Department has "another opportunity" to obtain Epstein documents from two judges based in New York, where there's generally a "less stringent approach to grand jury secrecy," said Politico. But those requests aren't expected to be resolved for several weeks. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana said he "did not know when the subpoenas would be issued," CNN said.
-
‘Lumpy skin’ protests intensify across France as farmers fight cullIN THE SPOTLIGHT A bovine outbreak coupled with ongoing governmental frustrations is causing major problems for French civil society
-
The best books of 2025The Week Recommends A deep dive into the site of a mass shooting, a new release from the author of ‘Atonement’ and more
-
Inside Minnesota’s extensive fraud schemesThe Explainer The fraud allegedly goes back to the Covid-19 pandemic
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Why does White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have MAGA in a panic?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Trump’s all-powerful gatekeeper is at the center of a MAGA firestorm that could shift the trajectory of the administration
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
‘It’s another clarifying moment in our age of moral collapse’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Kushner drops Trump hotel project in SerbiaSpeed Read Affinity Partners pulled out of a deal to finance a Trump-branded development in Belgrade
