Chuck Schumer alleges Trump cover-up after DOJ delays release of Epstein files

WASHINGTON, DC: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted sharply to the Justice Department’s announcement that it had discovered over a million additional files potentially related to convicted offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The DOJ on Tuesday, December 23, released a batch of 30,000 records connected to Epstein. This marked the third release of files, which included allegations about Epstein’s ties to President Donald Trump, drawing renewed scrutiny.

A Christmas Eve announcement of “a million more files” prompted Schumer to accuse Trump of attempting a cover-up. “The question Americans deserve answered is simple: what are they hiding—and why? Justice delayed is justice denied. Release the files. Follow the law,” Schumer tweeted on December 24.

Chuck Schumer comments on Epstein files delay

Schumer criticized the timing and handling of the DOJ’s announcement, describing it as “a Christmas Eve news dump of ‘a million more files.’” He said the release delay “only proves what we already know: Trump is engaged in a massive coverup."

The senator emphasized that the American public deserves answers to straightforward questions about the files. Schumer called on the DOJ to release the documents promptly and in full compliance with the law.

Officials in the DOJ acknowledged that the volume of documents makes a complete release challenging within the original timeframe. They said additional time is needed to redact sensitive information, particularly details that could identify victims.

The announcement followed a letter from a bipartisan group of a dozen US senators, including 11 Democrats and one Republican, urging the DOJ to address its failure to meet deadlines. The senators stated that victims “deserve full disclosure” and the “peace of mind” of an independent audit.

DOJ statement on release of Epstein files

The DOJ said in a social media post that federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI “have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.” The department added that it received these documents from the SDNY and FBI to review for release in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, statutes, and judicial orders.

In March, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News that a “truckload of evidence” had been produced after she ordered the FBI to deliver the full Epstein files to her office. She said the directive followed information from an unidentified source that the FBI in New York held thousands of pages of documents.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche previously said Manhattan federal prosecutors already had more than 3.6 million records from investigations into Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, though many were duplicates of material already provided by the FBI.

The DOJ said its lawyers were “working around the clock” to review documents and redact victims’ names and other identifying information as required. The department pledged, “We will release the documents as soon as possible.”