Judge Orders DOJ to Hand Over More Unredacted Epstein Files (6/26/26)

A federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice to turn over unredacted versions of some Jeffrey Epstein-related files or explain why the redactions should remain in place. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan sided with independent journalist Katie Phang and the Public Integrity Project, finding that the DOJ likely violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act by withholding or heavily redacting certain materials. The DOJ has until July 2, 2026, to produce less-redacted documents, including sender and recipient information from emails, names of alleged co-conspirators in a draft indictment, and underlying FBI interview notes tied to an allegation against Donald Trump, which Trump has denied and which ABC notes was uncorroborated. Sullivan also ordered the DOJ to publish a log explaining all redactions.The ruling adds another layer of pressure on the DOJ, which has already faced criticism from lawmakers and transparency advocates over how it handled the release of Epstein files after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. According to ABC, the department has released thousands of pages but has also been accused of unnecessary redactions, missed deadlines, and withholding millions more pages that officials claim are duplicates, explicit material, or outside the law’s scope. The Public Integrity Project framed the ruling as a major transparency win, arguing that the government ignored the law to protect the rich and powerful, while the DOJ has continued to insist it complied with the statute.to contact me:[email protected]:Judge orders DOJ to turn over some unredacted Epstein files - ABC News