Kash Patel gives update on Epstein Files release

FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News on Wednesday that the federal government is in no “rush” to release more information about Jeffrey Epstein and the so-called Epstein Files.

Newsweek has reached out to the FBI for comment.

Why It Matters

A first batch of files was released by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in late February. But the files didn’t offer major revelations about the sex trafficking case that has captivated conspiracy theorists. The case has drawn intense global scrutiny due to the late financier and convicted sex offender’s ties to high-profile figures such as Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew. Epstein’s death in a New York federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial was ruled a suicide.

What To Know

Patel told Fox News’ Bret Baier during an interview Wednesday said that “Epstein killed himself.”

Baier then asked about the release of additional Epstein files.

“I’m not going to withhold information from the American public, ever,” Patel said. “But I’m also not going to rush to get it out there in a format in which they can’t rely on it.

“So, on the Epstein matter and any other matters, we are diligently working on that. And it takes time to go through years of investigations, years of political maneuvering, and years of coverup to get the American people what they deserve. And that’s what I’m gonna give them, on everything.”

Bondi’s release of the first batch of Epstein-related files in February included copies of his flight logs, which were already public from multiple court cases, and a heavily redacted photocopy of an address book allegedly compiled by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend and associate.

Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 for aiding Epstein in the trafficking of minors and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

The Justice Department also released a blacked-out list of masseuses and an evidence list containing over 150 items, including nude images, massage tables, and sex toys. There was no clear indication whether the list was related to Epstein’s case, Maxwell’s case, or another investigation.

Trump campaigned on releasing the “Epstein list,” a rumored document that some people believe may link high-profile individuals to sex crimes.

What People Are Saying

Conservative/Independent X user @DarkMatterVA: “Kash should have stated it just like this on Day 1. I can only imagine how much more support he would be receiving had he done so. Also, avoided lots of criticism.”

Republicans Against Trump on X: “FBI Director Kash Patel on why the Jeffrey Epstein files still haven’t been released: ‘I’m not going to rush to get it out there in a format they can’t rely on.’ What exactly are they hiding?”

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a May 10 post on X: “We are working with the DOJ on the Epstein case and, as the AG stated, there are voluminous amounts of downloaded child sexual abuse material that we are dealing with. There are also victim’s statements that are entitled to specific protections. We need to do this correctly, but I do understand the public’s desire to get the information out there.”

What Happens Next

There is no government timeline to release the rest of the files.