President Donald Trump’s administration faced another setback in its efforts to unseal grand jury transcripts related to Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge in Florida rejected the government’s request to release Epstein-related transcripts from investigations in the state on Wednesday.
The ruling comes just one day after federal judges in New York told the Justice Department that their motions to unseal grand jury transcripts about Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were not good enough. The New York judges gave the DOJ a week to try again, allowing Maxwell, an Epstein representative, and victims to share their views by August 5.
According to MSNBC, Trump promised to expose Epstein’s secrets, but faces strong legal barriers, leading to his frantic reversal on previous Epstein commitments after learning of his inclusion in the files. U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg in Florida stated that her “hands are tied” when it comes to unsealing the documents, a point that the government admitted during the legal proceedings.
What we know about the Epstein files and Trump’s involvement
The Wall Street Journal reported that the DOJ informed Trump in May that his name appears in the Epstein files. However, the report mentions that being named in these records does not suggest any wrongdoing. Trump’s team quickly dismissed the story, with spokesperson Steven Cheung calling it “another fake news story.”
MAGA: Trump is in the files. Bondi knew. Patel knew. Bongino knew. And Trump thought you were so stupid that he could yell "ObAmA!" to get you to look away. Not only do they think you're stupid, but the guy who promised to expose the truth about Epstein may himself be implicated.
— sue hynes (@sushyness) July 23, 2025
The situation has created political pressure for Trump, with even MAGA supporters demanding the Epstein files be released regardless of the consequences for Trump himself. This comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson announced he would send the House home early for summer break to avoid voting on releasing Epstein-related information.
The legal battle continues in New York, where different court rules apply. While the Florida rejection doesn’t automatically mean the New York transcripts will remain sealed, their release depends on upcoming legal filings and court decisions.
These developments happen while Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted of trafficking-related crimes in 2021, appeals her case to the Supreme Court. The DOJ opposed her petition last week and wants to meet with her. Additionally, the House Oversight Committee has requested Maxwell to give a deposition in prison on August 11, though she isn’t scheduled for release until 2037.
