We have breaking news at this hour. President Donald Trump has signed into law a sweeping transparency measure requiring the Department of Justice to release all unclassified records connected to Jeffrey Epstein. The signing starts a 30-day deadline for Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department to prepare the documents for public release.

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The action comes after Senate Republicans rapidly advanced the legislation through the chamber. According to aides familiar with the matter, Trump had grown increasingly frustrated with the pace and handling of the bill’s movement in the Senate, but proceeded with the signing after determining that the release of information was in the public interest.

As one Epstein survivor, Marijke Chartouni told me after Trump signed the bill: “I’m profoundly gratified by this outcome. This is a major step forward in exposing the full scope of Epstein’s crimes and those of his associates—another critical milestone in removing the barriers to justice and accountability”

The new law imposes one of the broadest disclosure requirements the Department of Justice has ever faced in a high-profile criminal case. It directs officials to make available a wide array of files while allowing limited exceptions to protect victims, national security, and ongoing federal investigations.

Earlier last week, Attorney General Bondi announced that the Justice Department was opening a renewed investigation into material related to the Epstein case and potential links involving certain political figures. That announcement came shortly after Trump publicly instructed her to review the matter on his social media platform.

It is unclear whether the Justice Department will attempt to invoke the newly announced investigation as grounds to withhold portions of the records under the bill’s permitted exemptions. In July, the DOJ and FBI stated that a prior review had found no evidence justifying a criminal investigation into any uncharged individuals.

Sources familiar with internal DOJ discussions anticipate that a full, unredacted release of the Epstein files remains unlikely. Materials tied to ongoing investigations or any claims of executive privilege may be withheld or summarized under the law’s provisions.

Trump had previously stated that he would enact the bill if it reached his desk, and he followed through with that commitment on Monday.

The legislation establishes strict requirements for disclosure while specifying narrow categories of information that may be withheld. A summary of what the public will see and won’t see is below:

Section (a): Mandatory Disclosure Within 30 Days

The Attorney General must publicly release all unclassified records, in a searchable and downloadable format, covering:

  • Jeffrey Epstein: all investigations, prosecutions, custodial records, and related materials.
  • Ghislaine Maxwell: all related investigative and prosecutorial documents.
  • Travel and flight records: manifests, itineraries, pilot logs, customs and immigration documents involving Epstein-owned or operated aircraft, vessels, or vehicles.
  • Individuals connected to Epstein’s criminal activity, civil settlements, immunity agreements, or investigative proceedings.
  • Entities tied to Epstein’s trafficking operations or financial networks, including corporate, nonprofit, academic, or governmental bodies.
  • Legal agreements: any immunity deals, non-prosecution agreements, plea bargains, or sealed settlements involving Epstein or associates.
  • Internal DOJ communications: emails, memos, meeting notes, and records related to decisions to pursue or decline charges or investigations concerning Epstein or his associates.
  • Communications or records about document destruction or concealment: logs, directives, or metadata related to the deletion, alteration, or loss of files concerning Epstein, his associates, or his detention and death.
  • Documentation of Epstein’s detention and death: incident reports, interviews, medical examiner files, autopsy reports, and related written records.

    • Section (b): Prohibited Grounds for Withholding

    Records cannot be withheld or redacted due to embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity affecting any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.

    Section (c): Permitted Withholdings

    The Attorney General may redact or withhold limited information, including:

  • Personally identifiable information or medical files of victims.
  • Child sexual abuse material, as defined by federal law.
  • Information that would jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution, with restrictions requiring narrow and temporary withholding.
  • Graphic images depicting death, physical abuse, or injury.
  • Properly classified national security information.

    • Additional requirements include:

  • All redactions must include publicly available written justifications submitted to Congress.
  • Classified material must be declassified to the maximum extent possible, with unclassified summaries required when full disclosure would threaten national security.
  • Any classification decisions made after July 1, 2025, must be publicly listed with justification.

    • Section 3: Reporting to Congress

    Within 15 days after releasing the records, the Attorney General must submit a report to congressional judiciary committees detailing:

  • Categories of records released and withheld.
  • The legal basis for any redactions.
  • A complete list of all government officials and politically exposed persons named in the released materials, with no redactions allowed on grounds of embarrassment or political sensitivity.