Epstein File Transparency
Federal Judge Orders DOJ to Unredact Epstein Files or Explain Why by July 2
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Key Points
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The April 2009 Epstein email exchange includes the line 'where are you? are you ok I loved the torture video,' illustrating a sensational redacted detail highlighted in the litigation.
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The injunction targets eight emails in which sender/recipient names are redacted and two DOJ files identifying alleged co-conspirators in a draft indictment, requiring unredaction or a justification for why redactions remain.
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The order also compels the DOJ to provide the underlying FBI interview notes behind four formal interview reports and notes from FBI interviews related to Trump-era allegations, with Phang noting 36 Trump-related items were withheld.
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A public redaction log must be published detailing the grounds for each redaction, with the log to be published in the Federal Register under the Epstein Files Transparency Act; the DOJ is also ordered to review foreign-language materials for potential release.
A federal judge has ordered the Department of Justice to unredact key portions of the Jeffrey Epstein files — or explain why it cannot — by July 2. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan issued the preliminary injunction on June 25, targeting eight emails with hidden sender and recipient names, alleged co-conspirator identities buried in a draft indictment, and FBI interview notes, according to Forbes.
The order stems from a lawsuit filed by journalist and former MSNBC legal analyst Katie Phang, who argues the DOJ violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act through excessive redactions. The DOJ says it has released roughly 3.5 million pages but insists many redactions protect victim privacy. Judge Sullivan was not persuaded, Good Morning America reported.
What the Court Is Ordering DOJ to Reveal
Sullivan's injunction zeroes in on specific documents. It targets eight emails in which sender and recipient names are blacked out — including an April 2009 exchange containing the line "where are you? are you ok I loved the torture video." It also covers two DOJ files identifying alleged co-conspirators listed in a draft indictment, according to Forbes.
The order also compels the DOJ to hand over the raw FBI interview notes behind four formal FD-302 interview reports. A public redaction log must be published in the Federal Register. The DOJ is also told to review all foreign-language materials for possible release, CBS News reported.
The Lawsuit That Forced the DOJ's Hand
Katie Phang filed her lawsuit — known as Phang v. Blanche — on April 28, 2026. She argues the DOJ made "brazen and ongoing" violations of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan law passed by Congress in November 2025. The law required DOJ to release all Epstein investigative files and publish a redaction log — something it never did, according to International Business Times.
The DOJ tried to get the case dismissed, arguing Phang should use standard public records requests instead. Sullivan rejected that argument. He wrote that standard records law "does not provide an adequate remedy" for a statute specifically designed to speed up disclosure. Phang says 36 Trump-related items were withheld entirely, per Yahoo News.
Trump Allegations and Political Stakes Behind the Files
The order specifically targets FBI interview notes tied to a victim who alleged Donald Trump assaulted her in the 1980s. Phang says 36 items connected to Trump were entirely withheld from public release. Sullivan noted in his 48-page opinion that the public interest is especially high given upcoming elections, Yahoo News reported.
The case has drawn rare bipartisan support. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who reviewed unredacted files in a closed session, publicly named Emirati billionaire Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem as the recipient of Epstein's "torture video" email in February 2026. Massie argued that the law requires victim names to be hidden — not the names of powerful men who received illicit content from Epstein, per International Business Times.
What Happens If DOJ Misses the July 2 Deadline
The DOJ faces a clear choice: release the names or give a page-by-page legal reason for every single redaction. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has said the department already met its obligations by releasing 3.5 million of an estimated 6 million total pages, Forbes reported.
If Sullivan's order holds, it sets a major legal precedent. It would mean the executive branch cannot use blanket redactions to bypass a specific transparency law passed by Congress. For now, the clock is ticking. The DOJ has until July 2 to comply — or show cause why it cannot, according to Good Morning America.
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