Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Dec 6: In a significant move toward transparency, a federal judge in Florida on Friday granted the US Justice Department permission to release grand jury transcripts from its sex-trafficking case against disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The documents are expected to shed further light on his alleged ties with wealthy and influential personalities, including US President Donald Trump.

The ruling follows the recent passage of a bill by the Republican-controlled Congress, directing the Attorney General to make public all unclassified files related to federal investigations involving Epstein and his long-time associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a prison term for sex trafficking.

Trump — who has claimed he severed ties with Epstein long before his arrest in 2019 — had initially opposed the unsealing of the documents. However, he changed his stance shortly before lawmakers approved the bill, which he signed into law on November 19.

The development has drawn heightened interest across the US political spectrum. While Trump’s opponents anticipate revelations that could politically weaken him, several of his own supporters have been demanding the release, citing their belief that key facts about Epstein’s powerful connections and his controversial death have been concealed.

Epstein died in August 2019 inside a Manhattan federal jail, where his death was officially ruled a suicide. The incident sparked widespread conspiracy theories, especially after Trump amplified some of the speculations during his earlier campaign trail.

With the issue continuing to shadow the administration, Trump has recently labeled the renewed focus on Epstein files as a “Democratic distraction strategy,” aimed at undermining the government’s achievements.

Officials said that although the transcripts will be released, sensitive information may be redacted to protect ongoing investigations and victims’ identities. The timeline for the public release of the documents is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.