Today's News: Trump Directs DOJ to Seek Release of Epstein Grand Jury Testimony

Meanwhile, Trump filed a libel lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, over exclusive reporting on a bawdy birthday letter allegedly from Trump to Epstein.

Terrence Dorsey

Jul 19, 2025

Photo: Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post

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Date: July 18, 2025
Topic: President Trump’s Actions Regarding Jeffrey Epstein Files and Related Libel Lawsuit
Summary: President Donald Trump has directed the Justice Department to seek the unsealing of Jeffrey Epstein’s grand jury testimony, a move prompted by intense political pressure from his base and Democrats demanding transparency regarding the “Epstein files.” This directive followed a Wall Street Journal report detailing a bawdy birthday letter allegedly from Trump to Epstein, which Trump vehemently denies writing. In response to the article, Trump filed a libel lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, escalating his ongoing legal campaign against media organizations. The Justice Department has filed motions to unseal the testimony, while emphasizing legal protections for victims and witnesses, and reiterating that previous reviews found no “incriminating client list.”

Sources

Key Points

President Trump has ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek court approval to release “pertinent” grand jury testimony from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
The Justice Department has formally asked a federal judge in Manhattan to unseal grand jury transcripts from the cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, citing “extensive public interest.”
Unsealing grand jury testimony is legally challenging due to secrecy rules designed to protect crime victims, witnesses, and the accused, and requires judicial approval.
The Justice Department intends to work with prosecutors to make “appropriate redactions” to protect victim-related and other personal identifying information before any release.
The administration has been under significant political pressure from both its base, who demand full transparency on the “Epstein files,” and Democrats, who are also pushing for the release of information.
A recent Wall Street Journal report detailed a letter allegedly from Donald Trump included in a 2003 birthday album for Jeffrey Epstein, which Trump has vehemently denied writing or drawing.
In response to The Wall Street Journal report, President Trump has filed a libel lawsuit against the newspaper’s publisher and reporters.
The Justice Department previously concluded, after a systematic review, that it found no “incriminating ‘client list,’” evidence of blackmail, or foul play in Epstein’s death.

Unique Highlights

The New York Times (Justice Dept. Asks Manhattan Court to Unseal…): Identifies Judge Richard M. Berman as the judge overseeing the request and highlights Representative Dan Goldman’s criticism that grand jury testimony would only be a small part of the evidence, urging release of FBI 302s, texts, emails, videos, and photographs.
The New York Times (When It Comes to Jeffrey Epstein, Trump Says He Is Ready to Defer…): Focuses on President Trump’s perceived “flip-flopping” on the role of judges, contrasting his usual criticisms of the judiciary with his deference in this specific case. It includes comments from legal scholars Benjamin Wittes and Judith Resnik, and a White House spokeswoman’s defense of Trump’s stance.
CNN (Trump files libel lawsuit…): Specifies the lawsuit seeks “at least $20 billion” in damages and notes that legal experts cannot recall any past instances of a sitting president suing a news outlet for defamation. It also details Trump’s previous out-of-court settlements with ABC and Paramount for $16 million each for his presidential library.
NBC News (Trump frustrated at having to take the heat…): Reports on President Trump’s frustration with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Epstein files and his desire for her to take responsibility. It mentions Bondi’s “BinderGate” where she hyped “Epstein binders” that contained publicly available information and identifies specific right-wing critics of Trump, such as Laura Loomer, Tucker Carlson, and Charlie Kirk.
The Washington Post (Trump sues Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch…): States the lawsuit seeks “$10 billion” in damages and lists Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, Khadeeja Safdar, and Joe Palazzolo as specific defendants. It also notes that congressional Democrats are delaying Trump’s efforts to slash federal spending to force votes on releasing the Epstein files.
The Washington Post (Justice Dept. asks court to release Epstein grand jury testimony): Mentions the Justice Department is also filing a similar petition in South Florida and includes a former FBI agent’s comment that grand jury testimony is a “very, very small portion of any investigative file.” It details specific items seized from Epstein’s properties and reports Senator Dick Durbin’s allegation that Attorney General Bondi pressured the FBI to flag records mentioning President Trump.
The Wall Street Journal (Justice Department Asks Court to Release Epstein Grand-Jury Transcripts): Directly quotes the Justice Department’s filing: “This Court should conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as a matter of public interest, release the associated grand jury transcripts, and lift any pre-existing protective orders.”
The Wall Street Journal (Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters…): Provides the most detailed account of the birthday album, including the full text of the letter attributed to Trump, a description of the drawing, and details about other contributors like Leslie Wexner and Alan Dershowitz. It also includes Trump’s past quotes about Epstein and references Elon Musk’s public comments about the Epstein files.
Fox News (Legal pathway clearly exists…): Quotes legal experts Neama Rahmani and Nicole Parker on the legal process for unsealing grand jury transcripts, noting that the government’s request makes it likely a judge will grant it, though victim names would likely be redacted.

Contrasting Details

Damages Sought in Lawsuit: CNN reports President Trump’s libel lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal seeks “at least $20 billion,” while The Washington Post states the suit seeks “$10 billion” in damages.
Trump’s Drawing Ability: The Wall Street Journal (Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters…) and CNN quote President Trump denying he draws pictures (“I don’t draw pictures of women”). However, The Washington Post notes that “at least four of his drawings were sold at auction during his first administration,” presenting a discrepancy with his denial.
Trump’s Stance on Judges: The New York Times highlights a perceived “flip-flopping” by President Trump on the role of judges, noting his usual criticism of federal judges versus his current deference to judicial approval for unsealing. The White House spokeswoman, Abigail Jackson, counters this by calling it a “false equivalence.”
Scope of “Epstein Files” Release: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal agree that grand jury testimony is only a small portion of the overall investigative material. Representative Dan Goldman (as reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post) specifically argues that critical evidence like FBI 302s (witness interviews), texts, emails, videos, and photographs would not be included in grand jury testimony, suggesting the unsealing will not fully satisfy calls for transparency.
Existence of “Client List”: Attorney General Pam Bondi initially stated in a Fox News interview (as reported by NBC News and The Washington Post) that an “Epstein client list was ‘sitting on my desk right now.’” However, the Justice Department later concluded, after a systematic review, that there was “no incriminating ‘client list’” (The New York Times, NBC News, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal), indicating a change in the department’s public position on this specific aspect.

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