Judge Emmet Sullivan has ordered the Trump administration to release and unredact material from the Epstein files by Thursday, putting the United States Department Of Justice on the clock in a case brought by journalist Katie Phang. The ruling gives the government no extra breathing room, and Sullivan said he would not pause his order to let an appeal slow the release.
That deadline is why the case is drawing fresh attention now. Phang says the Trump administration violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act by withholding names and documents without properly explaining the redactions, and Sullivan found that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche had conceded he was in violation of the law by failing to release some names and records or explain why they were withheld.
The material at issue is not vague. Sullivan’s order directs the DOJ to make public names from eight emails that appear to discuss women, along with other Epstein-related records. Those emails span 2009 to 2018 and include a 2013 message saying, “New Brazilian just arrived, sexy and cute, 19yo,” a 2014 email saying, “Thank you for a fun night… Your littlest girl was a little naughty,” and a 2015 note saying, “The key are the 14 to 15 year old girls—i am a sexual pervert because i say they are now of a reproductive age?”
Other records include a 2009 email in which Jeffrey Epstein said, “I loved the torture video,” a March 2018 message saying, “I found at least 3 very good young poor but we was so tired. I will cover up this week. Meet this one, not the beauty queen but we both likes her a lot,” and a September 2018 note saying, “My favorite from Lithuania, [REDACTED], 19. Will meet when I am there.” Sullivan also ordered release of names from prosecutors’ draft indictment against Jeffrey Epstein in 2007.
The friction is simple: the Justice Department vowed to appeal Sullivan’s ruling, but there was no sign an appeal had been filed before Thursday’s deadline. Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the government can withhold information only in limited circumstances, such as to protect victims’ identities or because of an ongoing investigation, and it must submit a justification for any redaction or withheld document. Sullivan said the law required the Attorney General to produce the documents and publish the log by December 19, 2025, which he noted was more than six months ago.
For now, the question is not whether the court has spoken. It has. The question is whether the Justice Department will comply before the deadline passes, or whether a filing arrives in time to stop the names and documents from becoming public.
