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Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration isn’t being sincere in regards to the Epstein recordsdata.
What’s taking place? After about 3 million new paperwork from the Epstein recordsdata — the collected supplies from DOJ’s a number of Epstein investigations — have been launched late final month, DOJ stated that nothing had been withheld “on the idea of embarrassment, reputational hurt, or political sensitivity.”
Now, it seems that was unfaithful. In new reporting Tuesday by NPR, we discovered that greater than 50 pages of fabric probably associated to President Donald Trump have both been withheld or taken down, opposite to the 2025 regulation mandating their launch (in some circumstances, supplies taken down have since been restored).
What do the paperwork say? Among the unreleased supplies, in keeping with NPR, seem like FBI interview notes and transcripts from a number of interviews with a girl who accused each Trump and Epstein of sexual abuse within the early Eighties, when she was 13 years previous.
We don’t know specifics about what the unreleased interview supplies may allege, and as my colleague Andrew Prokop factors out, there’s lots within the recordsdata that’s unsubstantiated. However there’s not less than some purpose to imagine that the unreleased paperwork might contact on allegations of misconduct by Trump, and both means, DOJ’s failure to launch them seems to be in clear violation of the regulation.
What’s the context? The discharge of the Epstein recordsdata has been a multitude. Not solely did the Trump administration blow previous the 30-day deadline imposed by Congress to launch the recordsdata, however DOJ additionally launched the unredacted names of dozens of Epstein victims and unredacted nude images within the course of.
The sheer quantity of fabric — and their chaotic, typically unverified nature — means we’re nonetheless studying extra about what the recordsdata say and what could also be lacking. Which means these sorts of revelations might proceed, although no extra main doc releases are anticipated from DOJ.
And with that, it’s time to sign off…
Hello readers, right here’s a extra substantive bit of fine information to sign off with: My colleague Zack Beauchamp is out with his most up-to-date piece in Vox’s “America after Trump” collection. It’s all about how different international locations — Brazil, South Korea, and Poland — efficiently saved their democracies, and the way their expertise gives a hopeful lesson for the US. You’ll be able to learn the complete story with a present hyperlink right here.
Alternatively, if you need one thing lighter in your Tuesday night, right here’s a sled canine stealing a digicam — and by accident recording the heist. Thanks for studying, and we’ll see you again right here tomorrow!
