Name: How Trump could keep some of the Epstein files secret
Uploaded: 2025-11-29T15:33:37.930Z
Duration: 4 min 20 s
Description: Despite a law forcing the release of the Epstein files, they may not all become public. CBC’s Mike Crawley breaks down the legal loophole U.S. President Donald Trump could use to prevent the release of some information.

Despite a law forcing the release of the Epstein files, they may not all become public. CBC’s Mike Crawley breaks down the legal loophole U.S. President Donald Trump could use to prevent the release of some information.

Washington

The U.S. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act with near unanimous support, requiring the Department of Justice to release all unclassified materials related to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein by December 19. President Donald Trump signed the act into law, but a provision allows the Attorney General to withhold documents tied to ongoing investigations, raising concerns among survivors and their advocates about potential withholding of key information.

The Trump administration recently launched new investigations into Epstein's connections with several prominent Democrats, which could be used as grounds to delay or limit the release of certain files. While legal experts note that investigations must eventually conclude, advocates for survivors insist that full disclosure is necessary and remain wary of further delays or attempts to keep information secret.

How Trump could keep some of the Epstein files secret

The yeas are 427, the nays are 1. After a near unanimous vote in the U.S. Congress, the clock is now ticking toward the release of the Epstein files. But even though U.S. President Donald Trump has signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, he could still keep some information secret. The new law calls on the Department of Justice to make public all relevant material from its sex trafficking investigation into the late Jeffrey Epstein by December 19th. Despite that looming deadline, some of the survivors of Epstein's abuse and their attorneys are concerned the Trump administration could withhold crucial details using a legal loophole. The distrust in this administration because they've worked so hard to hide the files from the public. And this has been ongoing, despite the fact that he made a promise before the election that he would release the documents. The law says that all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell must be made public. That could include flight logs showing who traveled to and from Epstein's private island, the names of people allegedly connected to Epstein's criminal activities, details of immunity deals, and internal DOJ messages about whether or not to investigate Epstein or any of his associates. Survivors of Epstein's abuse say they want full public disclosure of the files. Who knew what he was doing but was too much of a coward to do anything about it? For months, Trump and his top officials tried to block the push for releasing the files. You just keep going on the Epstein files. And what the Epstein is, is a Democrat hoax. Although the Epstein Files Transparency Act is now law, there's still another hurdle to cross. A clause in the act allowing the Attorney General to withhold items that are part of an ongoing investigation. Just a few days before signing the act, Trump ordered his Attorney General to investigate Epstein's alleged involvement and relationship with three prominent Democrats. Former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and the founder of LinkedIn, billionaire donor Reid Hoffman. That could give the Trump administration grounds to withhold material. I think what he's trying to do is to use the dynamic of creating ongoing investigations that would prevent him from releasing the Epstein files in their entirety. I don't know that they could get away with it if they tried because eventually the stuff is going to come out. Eric O'Neill is a national security lawyer and former FBI operative. It would be foolish of them to try to play games with a legal process to hide information because eventually it is going to come out. I mean an investigation has to end at some point. So for every one of those investigations there's going to be a ticking clock and a request to revisit it after the investigation concludes. So will that new investigation actually stop the full release of the files? When reporters asked Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi, she didn't rule it out. We will continue to follow the law with maximum transparency while protecting victims. But here's something that contradicts that promise of maximum transparency. The Trump administration could have released the Epstein files months ago without an act of Congress. We fought the President, the Attorney General, the FBI Director, the Speaker of the House and the Vice President to get this win. But advocates for the survivors are not ready to declare victory until and unless the disclosure is complete. If the government actually listens to the American people, which is what they are supposed to do and that is their function, they will release all of the information. It would be horrific. And if they were, if the Department of Justice were once again to try to stonewall the release of these documents after all that the victims have been through. How much will be disclosed from the Epstein files and what that material will reveal? These are the biggest questions swirling around U.S. politics. The answers could come any time now.

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