Trending Now - DOJ Watchdog Initiates Review of Epstein Files Compliance

WHO:

CNN - Todd Blanche stated that the new DOJ under Trump’s second term “has been a lot more transparent” than past administrations.

CNN - Todd Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell last year in Florida, where she was given limited immunity to discuss her criminal case.

CBS News - President Trump nominated Don Berthiaume to serve as the Justice Department's next inspector general.

CNN - The Justice Department's internal watchdog, the Inspector General, is conducting the investigation.

CBS News - Todd Blanche is the acting Attorney General following the ousting of Pam Bondi.

NBC News - President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law.

WHAT:

CBS News - The Justice Department has been reported to have over 6 million pages in their possession related to Epstein, with only about 3.5 million documents uploaded.

CBS News - The DOJ has removed more than 47,000 files comprising about 65,500 pages as of late February 2026, leaving approximately 2.7 million pages available to the public.

Alternet - The DOJ has not uploaded 180,000 explicit images of children and over 2,000 videos to the database related to Epstein.

CNN - The Justice Department's internal watchdog stated that some members of Congress have criticized the DOJ for over-redactions and tracking their searches through unredacted versions of the material.

NBC News - The DOJ's Inspector General will examine how the department determined what material would be redacted or withheld under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

CBS News - The Justice Department has been reported to have over 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes regarding one of Epstein's accusers that have not been released to the public.

Alternet - The DOJ has in its possession at least 14 terabytes of archived materials related to Epstein, of which only about 300 gigabytes have been released.

Alternet - The DOJ has not uploaded a large number of explicit images of children (180,000) and videos (over 2,000) to the database related to Epstein.

CBS News - The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General stated it will issue a public report with the audit's results once the review is complete.

CBS News - The Justice Department has removed tens of thousands of files after initial publication, leaving approximately 2.7 million pages available to the public.

NY Post - The Department of Justice’s internal watchdog is reviewing compliance with the law mandating the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

CBS News - The Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General will audit the department's compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

CBS News - The Justice Department published an initial batch of files within 30 days of the bill being signed, but it did not encompass the full scope of material covered by the statute.

CBS News - The Justice Department released more than 11,000 files, totaling nearly 30,000 pages of various materials.

CBS News - The DOJ stated it was done releasing the Epstein files, having uploaded 3.5 million documents, which is part of over 6 million pages in their possession.

WHERE:

NBC News - The investigation is being conducted by the Justice Department's internal watchdog in Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

CBS News - The Justice Department's audit of compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act was announced on April 23rd, 2026.

CBS News - The Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed in November 2025.

CBS News - The Justice Department was required to release files related to Epstein within 30 days of the law being signed, which was not met.

CBS News - On January 30th, 2026, Todd Blanche announced the release of more than 3 million pages of records related to Epstein and Maxwell.

CBS News - The Justice Department has taken down more than 47,000 files comprising about 65,500 pages as of late February 2026.

WHY:

CBS News - Bipartisan criticism over the Justice Department's handling of the disclosure of Epstein-related documents prompted the investigation.

CNN - The investigation was initiated due to bipartisan criticism over the Justice Department's handling of the disclosure of Epstein-related documents.

CBS News - The Epstein Files Transparency Act was passed after repeated failures from the Justice Department to deliver on past promises regarding the release of information on Epstein.

HOW:

CBS News - The Inspector General will evaluate the DOJ's processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

CNN - The Inspector General will focus on the DOJ’s identification, collection, and production of responsive material, as well as processes for redacting and withholding material.

CBS News - The Inspector General will evaluate the DOJ's processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

CBS News - The DOJ's processes for addressing post-release publication concerns will also be examined in the audit.

(UPDATED April 24, 2026 07:30 UTC)

The Justice Department has announced an audit of its compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, following bipartisan criticism regarding its handling of Epstein-related documents. As of late February 20th26, the DOJ has removed over 47,000 files, totaling about 65,500 pages, but has yet to upload 180,000 explicit images and more than 2,000 videos to the public database. Meanwhile, Todd Blanche, who met with Ghislaine Maxwell last year, stated that the new DOJ under Trump’s second term has been “a lot more transparent” than past administrations.

(UPDATED April 24, 2026 04:07 UTC)

The Justice Department's internal watchdog has revealed that some members of Congress are criticizing the DOJ for excessive redactions and for tracking their searches through unredacted versions of the Epstein materials. Additionally, the DOJ's Inspector General will investigate how the department decided which information to redact or withhold under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, as reports indicate that over 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes regarding one of Epstein's accusers remain unreleased. Furthermore, the DOJ holds at least 14 terabytes of archived materials related to Epstein, but only about 300 gigabytes have been made public, and a significant number of explicit images and videos related to the case have not yet been uploaded to the database.

(UPDATED April 23, 2026 23:16 UTC)

President Trump has nominated Don Berthiaume to serve as the Justice Department's next inspector general. The Justice Department announced an audit of compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which will result in a public report once the review is complete, and has removed tens of thousands of files, leaving about 2.7 million pages available to the public. This investigation was prompted by bipartisan criticism regarding the department's handling of the disclosure of Epstein-related documents, and the Inspector General will focus on the identification, collection, and production of responsive material, along with the processes for redacting and withholding information.

(UPDATED April 23, 2026 19:20 UTC)

The Justice Department's internal watchdog is currently investigating compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Trump signed into law in November 20th25. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that while the DOJ has released over 3 million pages of records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, the initial batch did not cover the full scope required by the law. The Inspector General will evaluate the department's processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing these records following bipartisan criticism of the DOJ's handling of Epstein-related documents.