By Don Terry | Tuesday February 24, 2026 | 4 min read
A review of newly released records from the U.S. Department of Justice has raised fresh questions about whether key documents connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation were withheld — including interview records tied to allegations involving Donald Trump.
The issue centers on a set of FBI interview memoranda referenced in an official index of materials associated with Epstein’s case. That index, which catalogues witness statements and related documents, appears to show that multiple interview summaries from 2019 are missing from the public release.
According to reporting first highlighted by NPR, and later reviewed by other journalists, at least one witness who was interviewed four times by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2019 has only one of those interview memoranda available in the publicly released files. Three others, referenced in the index, cannot be located.
The witness in question is significant because, according to internal FBI materials cited in the reporting, she is identified in a 2025 bureau presentation as having accused Trump of sexual assault when she was a minor. The publicly available 2019 memo does not contain those allegations. In that document, she reportedly stated she was not present for any misconduct involving Trump and described only a brief meeting. The more serious accusations appear to be reflected elsewhere — but the corresponding memoranda are not in the public production.
The discrepancy was identified by comparing document identification numbers. Pages released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act are labeled sequentially. By reviewing the numbering system against the index, reporters concluded that more than 50 pages connected to this witness may be missing.
In total, the index indicates that 15 documents reflect statements made by this witness over time, whether to federal agents, state authorities, or through written communication. So far, journalists say only seven of those documents can be found in the released files.
The DOJ has not directly addressed the specific missing memoranda. In a statement reported by NPR, the White House — referring to Trump’s position — defended the broader transparency effort but did not explain why certain interview records appear absent. The administration has previously stated that claims against Trump contained in the files are “unfounded and false.”
Legal analysts note that under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, documents cannot be withheld solely to prevent reputational harm. If records were removed for that reason, it could raise compliance questions. However, it remains unclear whether the missing memoranda were intentionally withheld, misplaced during processing, or never included in the production reviewed by redaction teams.
The broader concern extends beyond a single witness. The index lists more than 500 individuals connected to the Epstein investigation, including alleged victims, witnesses, and associates. Reporters examining the files say there are indications that other witness statements may also be incomplete.
Epstein, a financier who died in federal custody in 2019, and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted on federal sex trafficking charges, were at the center of one of the most closely scrutinized criminal investigations in recent history. Public pressure for transparency has been intense, with survivors and advocacy groups demanding full disclosure of investigative records.
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The issue has also taken on political dimensions. Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly claimed she faced pressure from Trump not to support efforts to release certain files, alleging he warned that disclosures could harm people close to him. Those claims have not been independently verified.
For now, key questions remain unanswered: Were the missing interview memoranda ever included in the document production reviewed by officials? If so, who decided they would not be released? And if not, where are they?
Until those gaps are explained, the controversy over the Epstein files — and what they may or may not reveal — is unlikely to subside.