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Judge blocks release of Epstein grand jury materials White House hits back at reports Trump named in Epstein files
(about 3 hours later)
A US judge has denied a bid to unseal grand jury material from the investigation into the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Watch: "It's exhausting" - Epstein accuser talks to the BBC about files saga
Judge Robin Rosenberg found that releasing files from his Florida case, a request that was made last week as the Trump administration faced mounting pressure over its handling of Epstein files, would violate state law. The White House has pushed back against reports that President Donald Trump is among hundreds of people whose names appear in justice department documents relating to the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The decision came as the Wall Street Journal published a story alleging President Donald Trump is among hundreds whose names appear in Epstein investigative documents held by the justice department. The claims were "nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media", a White House spokesman said.
A White House spokesman called the report "nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media". It comes as a US judge denied the justice department's bid to unseal material relating to Epstein from court proceedings in Florida.
The paper reported Trump's name appeared with many others, including other high-profile figures. Being named in these documents is not evidence of any wrongdoing. The Trump administration has been under mounting pressure to release more information about the well-connected sex offender. While campaigning last year, Trump had promised to release Epstein files.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify the report. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump's name appeared with many others, including other high-profile figures, in files held by the justice department.
The Wall Street Journal reported the justice department had told Trump the documents included hearsay about many people who socialised with Epstein. Being named in these documents is not evidence of any criminal activity, nor has Trump ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with the Epstein case.
Attorney General Pam Bondi also told the president that child pornography and victim information that should not be publicised were among the records, according to the newspaper. Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump in a routine briefing at the White House in February that the files contained hearsay about many people, including Trump, who had socialised with Epstein in the past, according to the newspaper.
Trump had directed Bondi to seek the release of all grand jury materials, prompting the justice department to ask courts in Florida and New York to release files related to cases in both US states. Bondi also told the president that the trove of Epstein records held by the justice department included child pornography and victim information that should not be disclosed.
In her 12-page order on Wednesday, Judge Rosenberg ruled that the transcripts could not be released due to guidelines governing grand jury secrecy set by the federal appeals court that oversees Florida. The Wall Street Journal report was later matched by other US media outlets, but has not been independently verified by the BBC.
"The court's hands are tied," she ruled. Trump was once friendly with Epstein before they fell out in 2004 – two years before Epstein was first arrested.
The judge said the government's argument last week that the files should be released due to "extensive public interest" and "transparency to the American public" did not meet the requirements for documents to be unsealed under "special circumstances".
The transcripts in question stem from Florida's investigation into Epstein in 2006 that led to him being charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution.
She also declined to transfer the issue to New York, where two judges are separately deciding whether to unseal transcripts related to Epstein's 2019 sex-trafficking probe. That request is still pending.
Judge Rosenberg also ruled that a new case be opened so lawyers could make additional legal arguments for why the transcripts should be released.
These court files precede the federal case that ended with Epstein's death in a New York jail as he awaited trial in 2019.
The judge's decision came just before the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had been informed by justice department officials in May that his name appeared in investigative documents related to Epstein.
Last week, the president was asked by a reporter whether the attorney general had told him his name was in the files.Last week, the president was asked by a reporter whether the attorney general had told him his name was in the files.
"No, no, she's - she's given us just a very quick briefing," Trump responded. "No, no," Trump said.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trump, called the report "nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media".Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trump, called the report "nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media".
The justice department similarly dismissed the report, calling it a "collection of falsehoods and innuendo" designed to push a false narrative and get clicks. The justice department called the report a "collection of falsehoods and innuendo" designed to push a narrative and get clicks.
The ruling comes as interest has moved back to Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex-trafficker who is serving 20 years in prison for helping Epstein abuse young girls. Donald Trump with his then-girlfriend (now wife) Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in Florida in 2000
A senior justice department official is planning to meet Maxwell to discuss her knowledge of the case, her attorney confirmed to the BBC, and she's been subpoenaed to testify the case before a House of Representatives committee. But an unnamed White House official told Reuters news agency they were not denying that Trump's name appears in the documents.
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee sent a subpoena for Maxwell to appear before the body remotely from prison on 11 August. The official pointed to Epstein files disclosed months earlier by the justice department that had included Trump.
Her attorney, David Oscar Markus, told the BBC, that if she chooses to testify, rather than invoke her constitutional right to remain silent, "she would testify truthfully, as she always has said she would". Those files, distributed to conservative influencers in February, included the phone numbers of some of Trump's family members, including his daughter.
Trump had directed Bondi to seek the release of all grand jury materials, prompting the justice department to ask courts in Florida and New York to release files related to cases in both those jurisdictions.
But Judge Robin Rosenberg ruled on Wednesday that releasing files from Epstein's Florida case would violate state guidelines governing grand jury secrecy.
"The court's hands are tied," she ruled in her 12-page order.
The transcripts in question stem from Florida's investigation into Epstein in 2006 that led to him being charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution.
She also declined to transfer the issue to New York, where two judges are separately deciding whether to unseal transcripts related to Epstein's 2019 sex-trafficking probe. That request is still pending.
Trump says a DOJ meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell would be "appropriate"
The ruling comes as interest has switched back to Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex-trafficker who is serving 20 years in prison for helping Epstein abuse young girls.
A senior justice department official is planning to meet Maxwell, a British socialite, to discuss her knowledge of the case, her attorney confirmed to the BBC.
Republicans on the House of Representatives Oversight Committee sent a legal summons for Maxwell to appear before the body remotely from prison on 11 August.
Her attorney, David Oscar Markus, told the BBC that if she chooses to testify, rather than invoke her constitutional right to remain silent, "she would testify truthfully, as she always has said she would".
"As for the congressional subpoena, Ms Maxwell is taking this one step at a time," he added."As for the congressional subpoena, Ms Maxwell is taking this one step at a time," he added.
"She looks forward to her meeting with the Department of Justice, and that discussion will help inform how she proceeds.""She looks forward to her meeting with the Department of Justice, and that discussion will help inform how she proceeds."
House Speaker Mike Johnson has warned that Maxwell could not be trusted to provide accurate testimony.House Speaker Mike Johnson has warned that Maxwell could not be trusted to provide accurate testimony.
"Could she be counted on to tell the truth? Is she a credible witness?" Johnson said. The Louisiana Republican said: "I mean, this is a person who's been sentenced to many, many years in prison for terrible, unspeakable, conspiratorial acts and acts against innocent young people."
"I mean, this is a person who's been sentenced to many, many years in prison for terrible, unspeakable, conspiratorial acts and acts against innocent young people." Bondi said earlier this month the US justice department had uncovered no "incriminating client list" on Epstein.
While campaigning last year, Trump - who at one time had been a friend of Epstein - promised to release files relating to the disgraced financier. She also said he did take his own life in a New York jail in 2019 - despite conspiracies over his death.
But Bondi said earlier this month the US justice department had uncovered no Epstein "incriminating client list" that could implicate high-profile associates, and that he did take his own life - despite conspiracies over his death. The statement came after Bondi had previously suggested she would reveal major disclosures in the case, saying she had "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".
The statement came after Bondi had previewed that she was about to reveal major disclosures in the case.
She said these would include "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs" - a reference to those who travelled with the financier or who visited his private islands where many of his purported crimes were said to have occurred.
Watch: "It's exhausting" - Epstein accuser talks to the BBC about files saga
Her reversal prompted furious response from scores of Trump's most ardent supporters, who have called for Bondi to resign after failing to produce the list, which officials had previously claimed to have.
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Risky strategy for Trump as he escalates Epstein row with loyal supportersRisky strategy for Trump as he escalates Epstein row with loyal supporters
Democrats have seized on the Republican infighting to accuse the Trump administration of lying about its commitment to transparency. Her reversal prompted furious response from scores of Trump's most ardent supporters, who called for the attorney general to resign.
Democrats have seized on the Republican infighting to accuse the Trump administration of a cover-up.
On Tuesday, Speaker Johnson closed down congressional voting for summer break one day early, in an attempt to stall legislative efforts to force the release of documents related to Epstein.On Tuesday, Speaker Johnson closed down congressional voting for summer break one day early, in an attempt to stall legislative efforts to force the release of documents related to Epstein.
But Republican rebels in the House Oversight Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement voted on Wednesday afternoon to force the justice department to release documents related to Epstein. But Republican rebels in the House Oversight Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement voted on Wednesday afternoon to force the justice department to release the files.
Three Republicans - Nancy Mace, Scott Perry and Brian Jack - joined five Democrats in voting for the subpoena. Two Republicans voted against it. Three Republicans - Nancy Mace, Scott Perry and Brian Jack - joined five Democrats in voting for the subpoena. Two Republicans voted against.
A ranking Democrat on the panel, Summer Lee, reportedly surprised Republicans by introducing the vote during an unrelated hearing on unaccompanied child migrants.
But James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, must sign it off in order for the legal summons to proceed.But James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, must sign it off in order for the legal summons to proceed.
Trump says a DOJ meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell would be "appropriate"