Trump’s name blacked out in Epstein files after FBI review: Report
The FBI redacted US President Donald Trump’s name, along with those of other high-profile individuals, from internal records related to adult offender Jeffrey Epstein during a large-scale review earlier this year, according to a Bloomberg report.
Roughly 1,000 agents were instructed to flag any reference to Trump while combing through more than 100,000 pages of documents in March, the report said citing sources. Trump’s name was blacked out by FBI agents as it constituted an “unwarranted invasion of privacy”.
The internal directive was part of a Justice Department-led reassessment of the Epstein files, which concluded that there was no evidence of criminal activity by Trump.
This comes against the backdrop of mounting pressure from Trump’s MAGA base to release the remaining Epstein files. The President and senior White House officials have pushed back, insisting there is no need for further disclosures, and that they are eager to move on from the matter.
TRUMP’S NAME REDACTED FROM EPSTEIN FILES
Back in February, the White House distributed binders of largely public Epstein-related materials to far-right influencers, claiming it was part of a broader transparency push. US Attorney General Pam Bondi, at the time, described it as a “first phase” of document release and told Fox News that additional files — including the much-speculated client list — were “sitting on my desk.”
Prior to that, Bondi had written to FBI Director Kash Patel expressing frustration over delays in receiving requested files. She then reportedly “pressured” the FBI to reassign hundreds of agents to the case.
As a result, nearly 1,000 FBI agents were pulled from field offices for intensive 24-hour shifts in March to comb through a mountain of documents to prepare them for potential public release. These teams were told specifically to flag any mention of Trump.
They found “numerous references to Trump” in the documents, Bloomberg reported. The names of many prominent figures were also identified.
Ahead of their potential public disclosure, the flagged documents were processed by FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) officers, who applied redactions using exemptions meant to protect personal privacy. Trump’s name was withheld because he was a private citizen when the Epstein investigation began in 2006.
Investigators cited FOIA provisions that prohibit disclosing information that could represent an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
TRUMP BRIEFED ON MENTIONS IN EPSTEIN FILES
Bondi told Trump during a Justice Department briefing in May that his name appeared multiple times in the Epstein files, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported earlier. Bondi also informed the President that other prominent figures were named, but that no so-called “client list” was uncovered by investigators.
Following the WSJ report, the White House dismissed the article as “fake news.” However, an unnamed official later admitted to Reuters that Trump’s name did appear in some files, but that it didn’t indicate any wrongdoing.
In July, the administration backpedalled and said that “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.” The Justice Department cited a lack of new findings and concerns over privacy in deciding not to move forward.
TRUMP’S TIES TO EPSTEIN
Trump and Epstein were friendly with one another in the 1990s and early 2000s. “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump said in a 2002 interview with New York magazine.
Flight records show Trump flew on Epstein’s private plane at least once, and the real estate magnate’s contact information appeared in Epstein’s address book alongside many other public figures.
However, Trump has said the friendship ended long before Epstein’s 2019 arrest, claiming they had not spoken in over a decade. Epstein, a convicted adult offender, died by suicide in a federal detention facility in 2019 while awaiting trial on adult trafficking charges.
His death during Trump’s first term in office has for years fuelled conspiracy theories alleging a high-level government cover-up to shield prominent individuals tied to Epstein’s alleged trafficking ring.
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