Donald Trump administration asks court to unseal Epstein jury transcripts, Pam Bondi cites ‘public concern’

In a formal request to a federal judge seeking the unsealing of grand jury transcripts from the 2019 investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, who was a convicted sex offender and had longstanding ties to Donald Trump, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi refers to the case as “a matter of public concern.”

According to a report by The Guardian, the motion, submitted Friday in a Manhattan federal court by Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, previously Trump’s personal attorney, stated that the move was spurred by the public reaction to the Justice Department’s July 6 memo.

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That memo detailed “an exhaustive review undertaken of investigative holdings relating to Jeffrey Epstein,” conducted with the FBI, aiming to assess whether any basis existed “that could predicate an investigation into uncharged third parties.”

On Friday, Justice Department attorneys filed motions with two judges in Manhattan, where separate prosecutions were conducted against Epstein and his former associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

It remains uncertain whether the courts will approve the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, or if the move will appease critics including some of President Donald Trump’s own Republican allies who continue to call for greater transparency in the case.

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Grand jury proceedings are traditionally kept confidential, and judges may take time before issuing a decision. Both Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have faced mounting criticism from within their own party, particularly over demands for more information about Epstein’s activities, including a rumored “client list.

While the Justice Department said the privacy interests at stake in the case are “substantially diminished” due to Epstein’s death, it said it will work with prosecutors to ensure any information identifying victims is redacted. The department also is seeking the release of the transcripts in the case against Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of participating in Epstein’s sex crimes, because of “intense public scrutiny,” even though she has appealed her conviction to the US Supreme Court, according to a report by Bloomberg. 

Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida charges, including procurement of minors to engage in prostitution. He died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 as he was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls. Both a medical examiner and an investigation by the FBI determined that Epstein died by suicide.

(With inputs from agencies)