The long-running controversy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein case has once again erupted in Washington, D.C., as new revelations, partisan accusations, and demands for transparency swirl around the release of government files. In the past week, a secretly recorded video, a flurry of official statements, and a fresh batch of documents have all added fuel to a fire that shows no sign of burning out.
On September 4, 2025, journalist James O’Keefe—best known for his provocative undercover investigations—posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) that quickly went viral. The footage, captured by O’Keefe’s current organization, O’Keefe Media Group, featured Joseph Schnitt, acting deputy chief at the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations. Schnitt was covertly recorded during what he believed was a date in August with a woman he met on a dating app. The woman, going by “Skylar,” was actually an undercover journalist.
In the video, Schnitt claimed the Trump administration would “redact every Republican or conservative person in those files” related to Jeffrey Epstein, while “leaving all the liberal Democratic people in those files.” According to the video, Schnitt also asserted there were “thousands and thousands of pages” of Epstein-related files and described internal conflict within federal law enforcement about releasing them. He alleged that the “head of FBI” and the “second-in-command at FBI” wanted the files released, but Attorney General Pam Bondi “wants whatever Trump wants,” creating “a lot of conflict.” Schnitt further speculated that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted associate, had been moved to a minimum security prison against Bureau of Prisons policy—suggesting she was being offered something “to keep her mouth shut.”
O’Keefe’s footage, as reported by multiple outlets, immediately triggered a firestorm. According to the Wall Street Journal, Schnitt’s comments appeared to support suspicions that the government planned to politicize the release of Epstein files, potentially shielding certain individuals. However, critics of O’Keefe’s methods, including those at Rolling Stone, cautioned that his videos are often heavily edited and can lack crucial context.
The Department of Justice responded rapidly and forcefully. On the same day the video was posted, the DOJ released a statement clarifying Schnitt’s role and the nature of his comments. “Joseph Schnitt had no role in the Department’s internal review of Epstein materials. He has confirmed as much to leadership and we plan to publish his written statement to that effect when we have it. In his own words, the comments Mr. Schnitt made were based on ‘what he learned in the media’ and he ‘has no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Ms. Maxwell other than what was reported in the news,’” the DOJ stated, according to Nexstar Media.
To further reinforce their position, the DOJ posted what appeared to be an unedited iPhone screenshot of an email Schnitt sent to his superior, Attorney General Pam Bondi. In the message, Schnitt wrote, “The comments I made were my own personal comments on what I’ve learned in the media and not from anything I’ve done at or learned via work. I have no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Ms. Maxwell other than what is reported in the news.” Schnitt also explained that he had met “Skylar” through a dating app, went on two dates, and was unaware she was a reporter recording him. “Had I a clue, the first date would have ended immediately, and there never would have been a second one,” he wrote.
The DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs went even further, declaring, “The comments in this video have absolutely zero bearing with reality and reflect a total lack of knowledge of the DOJ’s review process. The DOJ is committed to transparency and is in compliance with the House Oversight Committee’s request for documents.”
Meanwhile, the political battle over the Epstein files continued to escalate. On September 2, the House Oversight Committee released more than 33,000 documents related to Epstein, following months of pressure on the DOJ for greater transparency. Yet, as Nexstar Media and other outlets reported, the release was widely criticized for containing no new information—many of the documents were already public. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse, frustrated by the lack of new disclosures, warned they would compile their own client list if the government did not release additional files.
President Trump weighed in on September 5, posting on Truth Social that the DOJ had “done its job” and calling for an end to the bipartisan push for more disclosures. Trump accused Democrats of reviving the Epstein case for political reasons, writing, “The confused and badly failing Democrat Party did nothing about Jeffrey Epstein while he was alive except befriend him, socialize with him, travel to his Island, and take his money!” He asserted that the DOJ “has done its job, they have given everything requested of them. It’s time to end the Democrat Epstein Hoax, and give the Republicans credit for the great, even legendary, job that they are doing.”
Despite Trump’s claims, both Republicans and Democrats in Congress have pressed for greater transparency. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), a frequent Trump critic, has sponsored a discharge petition to force the release of all government files on Epstein. At a recent press conference in Washington, D.C., Massie stood with Epstein’s victims and declared, “If you can’t get Republicans to care about an underage sex trafficking ring with hundreds of victims, how are you going to get them to care about the budget?” Massie’s petition appears poised to gain the necessary support in the coming weeks.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, for their part, have accused Republican leadership of staging a “cover-up” by releasing Epstein records in fragments and missing deadlines. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) charged, “Releasing the Epstein files in batches just continues this White House cover-up. The American people will not accept anything short of the full, unredacted Epstein files.” Democrats argue that the staggered release undermines public trust, especially after Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed months ago to have the full files in her possession. Garcia noted that the committee previously voted in bipartisan fashion to demand full compliance, and called partial disclosures “wholly insufficient and potentially misleading.”
Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY), have maintained that transparency is a priority, but stress the need to redact sensitive material to protect victims’ identities and child sexual abuse content. “There are many records in DOJ’s custody, and it will take the Department time to produce all the records and ensure the identification of victims and any child sexual abuse material is redacted,” Comer explained. Rules Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) added, “I’d really like to see this resolved, if possible, before we get back, as much information as possible to come out.”
As the debate rages on, the public is left in a familiar position: caught between dueling narratives, political finger-pointing, and the slow drip of official disclosures. With bipartisan pressure mounting and survivors demanding answers, the demand for full transparency in the Epstein case is unlikely to subside anytime soon.
