The Department of Justice requested a federal court on Friday to unseal grand jury transcripts in the criminal case against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein amid pressure from President Donald Trump's supporters for more transparency about the case.
The Justice Department has not announced any plans to release its own files related to the case — which it and the Federal Bureau of Investigation claimed in a recent memo did not include an “incriminating client list” or evidence of blackmail involving prominent individuals.
It's triggered backlash from some of President Trump’s strongest supporters, who were led to believe that a so-called “client list” would be released under his administration.
In a post to Truth Social on Thursday, President Trump said he would direct the department to urge the courts to release the grand jury transcripts after The Wall Street Journal reported on a lewd birthday letter that President Trump allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003.
President Trump has claimed the letter is false and filed a libel lawsuit against the newspaper, its owners and the reporters who wrote the story.
