• Survey shows 67% of Americans believe federal government intentionally withholding Epstein case information
• Justice Department has released only 12,285 documents despite over 2 million in its possession
• Massive protest installation appears on National Mall as Trump faces renewed scrutiny over alleged birthday message

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — Overwhelming majorities of Americans distrust the federal government’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein files, with a new CNN poll revealing only 6% are satisfied with evidence released so far. The survey, conducted one month after Congress’ December 19 deadline for full disclosure, found two-thirds of respondents believe authorities are deliberately concealing information.

The poll conducted by SSRS from January 9-12 surveyed 1,209 adults and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Results show 67% of Americans say the federal government is intentionally holding back information that should be released, while just 16% believe the government is making an effort to release all information possible.

Justice Department Releases Less Than 1% of Required Files

The Justice Department acknowledged in recent court filings that it has released only 12,285 documents comprising approximately 125,575 pages. With more than 2 million documents still requiring review, department officials estimate less than 1% of Epstein-related files have been made public despite the statutory deadline passing four weeks ago.

“The Department of Justice is openly defying the law by refusing to release the full Epstein files. Millions of files are being kept from the public,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said in a statement.

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Department officials told a federal court they had enlisted approximately 80 additional attorneys from the criminal division to work with prosecutors in New York’s Southern District to review documents related to the convicted sex offender. In total, more than 500 reviewers are reportedly working on the files, though no timeline has been provided for when the remaining documents will be released.

“To date, the Department has employed over five hundred reviewers to review and redact millions of pages of materials from the investigations into Epstein and his convicted co-conspirator,” Ghislaine Maxwell, according to a Thursday court filing.

Partisan Divide Emerges on Release Urgency

The poll reveals a significant partisan shift in attitudes toward the Epstein files release. Republicans have grown more likely to dismiss the issue, with 67% saying it doesn’t matter or they haven’t heard enough to form an opinion, up from 56% last summer. Just 21% of Republicans now express dissatisfaction, down from 40% in July.

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Democrats moved in the opposite direction, with 71% calling themselves dissatisfied, up from 56% in July. The share of Democrats offering no opinion dropped to 27%, down from 41% last summer. Among independents, 54% expressed dissatisfaction while 43% offered no opinion, figures that have barely shifted over recent months.

“Just 12% of Republicans, 3% of Democrats and 3% of independents say they’re satisfied with the information released,” according to CNN’s analysis of the poll results.

President Donald Trump has called the push for Epstein files a “Democrat hoax” and urged Republicans not to support the transparency legislation.

Bipartisan Lawmakers Demand Special Master

In an unprecedented move, the bipartisan sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act requested a federal judge appoint a special master to oversee the release process. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) sent a letter to U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer arguing the Justice Department cannot be trusted with mandatory disclosures.

“Attorney General Pam Bondi is egregiously violating the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” Rep. Massie stated. “Under her leadership, the Department of Justice is missing statutory disclosure deadlines, making excessive redactions, and illegally withholding the Department’s internal communications.”

The lawmakers criticized the department for failing to provide Congress with a required report identifying categories of records released and withheld, along with summaries of all redactions and their legal bases. Without this accounting, they argue effective oversight becomes nearly impossible.

“Put simply, the DOJ cannot be trusted with making mandatory disclosures under the Act,” Massie and Khanna wrote to Judge Engelmayer.

The Justice Department responded Friday by arguing the lawmakers lack legal standing to intervene in the closed criminal case against Ghislaine Maxwell. Prosecutors contended that Massie and Khanna are improperly attempting to use Maxwell’s case to police DOJ compliance with transparency legislation enacted after her conviction became final.

Protest Installation Spotlights Trump’s Alleged Epstein Ties

A 10-foot-tall replica of President Trump’s alleged birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein appeared on the National Mall Monday, drawing renewed attention to their past relationship. The massive installation, created by an activist group calling itself The Secret Handshake, features a recreation of a birthday card Trump allegedly sent Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.

Located across from the U.S. Capitol on 3rd Street Northwest between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive, one side of the card reads “Happy birthday to a ‘terrific guy!'” The other side reproduces the alleged message Trump sent Epstein, which was released by House Democrats in September 2025 as part of a birthday book compiled by Maxwell.

“We have certain things in common, Jeffrey,” Trump says in the alleged letter, before concluding, “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

The card features a crude drawing of a woman’s torso with Trump’s signature. Visitors are encouraged to sign the installation with messages to the administration, though organizers warn that violent or hateful content will result in the display’s removal. The installation is permitted to remain through Friday, coinciding with Epstein’s birthday on January 20.

Trump Denies Authenticity, Sues Wall Street Journal

President Trump has vehemently denied writing the birthday message and filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the card’s existence in July 2025. The president claims the letter is fabricated and has called the story “false, malicious, and defamatory.”

“This is not me. This is a fake thing. It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story,” Trump told the outlet. “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women… It’s not my language. It’s not my words.”

The Wall Street Journal and its parent companies filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, contending that the article is true and that the birthday book produced by Epstein’s estate contains a letter identical to the one described in their reporting. The publication argues there is nothing defamatory about sending a bawdy note to a friend.

“Because Plaintiff has publicly admitted that he was Epstein’s friend in the early 2000s, his reputation cannot be harmed by the suggestion that he was friends with Epstein in 2003,” the Journal contended in its dismissal request. “Indeed, he was listed in the Birthday Book as a ‘friend’ of Epstein.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt maintained the administration’s position that the letter is fraudulent.

“The president did not write this letter. He did not sign this letter. And that’s why the president’s external legal team is aggressively pursuing litigation against the Wall Street Journal, and they will continue to do so,” Leavitt said at a press briefing.

Epstein Survivors Demand Accountability

Victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have expressed frustration with the Justice Department’s slow release of files and extensive redactions. One survivor told CNN she believes the department is “protecting themselves, not the victims.”

“I feel like they have so much information to start connecting the dots and for survivors to get justice. But as you’re seeing, we just keep stalling,” an Epstein survivor stated following the partial release of files.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act passed the House of Representatives in a 427-1 vote on November 18, 2025, with the Senate approving the bill unanimously the same day. Trump signed the legislation the following morning, officially requiring the DOJ to release all unclassified records within 30 days.

Epstein died by suicide in federal custody in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and conspiracy charges for her role in helping Epstein recruit, groom and abuse underage girls. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Will the Justice Department meet public demands for full transparency, or will the Epstein files remain shrouded in secrecy despite overwhelming bipartisan support for disclosure?

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