Todd Blanche says no directive to hide Trump’s name in Epstein file release

WASHINGTON, DC: Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on Friday, December 19, that the Justice Department has not received any directive to redact President Donald Trump’s name from the Jeffrey Epstein files currently under review, pushing back on speculation surrounding the scope of the disclosures.

In an interview with ABC News, Blanche said there has been no effort to shield Trump or any other public figure from the document release based on name recognition alone, stressing that redactions are not being driven by political considerations.

“There’s no effort to hold anything back because there’s the name Donald J Trump, or anybody else’s name - Bill Clinton’s name, Reid Hoffman’s name,” Blanche said. “There’s no effort to hold back or not hold back because of that.”

Todd Blanche denies any redaction orders

Blanche emphasized that if any order had been given to redact Trump’s name, it would have come directly from him, adding that no such instruction exists.

“I would give the order,” Blanche said. “President Trump has certainly said from the beginning that he expects all files that can be released to be released, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

Blanche also said that the presence of a name in the files does not equate to criminal conduct and should not be interpreted as such.

Blanche’s comments come as the Justice Department prepares to release hundreds of documents tied to the Epstein investigation, following mounting pressure from lawmakers and public scrutiny over the timeline and completeness of the disclosure.

DOJ responds to claims of selective disclosure

The remark appears to be aimed at countering accusations that the department is selectively managing the release of information or delaying disclosures involving prominent figures.

Critics previously claimed that the DOJ was slow-walking or limiting the scope of the files, allegations that the department has denied.

The Justice Department has said it is meeting its disclosure obligations while continuing to review records to ensure compliance with federal law and privacy protections. Officials have repeatedly maintained that the process is being handled without favoritism.

Blanche stated that all releasable records will be made public in accordance with the law.