DOJ Accused of Redacting Trump's Ties to Epstein

Congressman claims unredacted files show Trump lied about cutting ties with sex offender

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Trump Department of Justice has been accused of covering up a potentially damaging email suggesting that the President lied when he claimed he had cut ties with Jeffrey Epstein in the mid-2000s. Congressman Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, revealed that one redacted file included an email Epstein forwarded to his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, involving a conversation between Epstein's lawyers and lawyers for Trump.

Why it matters

This revelation raises renewed questions about the president's links to Epstein and whether the Justice Department is deliberately trying to hide information it is meant to disclose under the Epstein Transparency Act. Trump has repeatedly insisted he never knew about Epstein's crimes, but the files show the pair were connected for years.

The details

According to Raskin, the unredacted email quoted Trump as saying that Epstein was not a member of his Mar-a-Lago club, but was a guest who had never been asked to leave. The congressman said he was puzzled by the redaction, as there was nothing in federal law that would require it. The files were part of over 3.5 million documents the DOJ released related to Epstein's crimes, but some victims' names were revealed while suspected co-conspirators' names were hidden.

  • Epstein was arrested in 2019 and charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy.
  • Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 for soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution from a minor.
  • Trump claimed he had a 'falling out' with Epstein around 2004, about 15 years before Epstein's arrest.

The players

Congressman Jamie Raskin

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee who reviewed the unredacted Epstein files.

Jeffrey Epstein

The sex offender who was arrested in 2019 and charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Epstein's accomplice who was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in his crimes.

Donald Trump

The former president who has repeatedly claimed he had no knowledge of Epstein's crimes, despite being connected to him for years.

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What they’re saying

“Epstein's lawyers synopsized and quoted Trump as saying that Jeffrey Epstein was not a member of his club at Mar-a-Lago — but he was a guest at Mar-a-Lago and he had never been asked to leave.”

— Congressman Jamie Raskin, Top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee (The Daily Beast)

“I don't know why that was redacted. It was puzzling to me... There was certainly nothing in our federal law that would require redaction in that case.”

— Congressman Jamie Raskin, Top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee (The Daily Beast)

What’s next

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to investigate the DOJ's redactions and Trump's ties to Epstein further.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing efforts to uncover the full truth about the connections between powerful figures like Trump and the convicted sex offender Epstein, and raises concerns about potential cover-ups by the Justice Department.