WASHINGTON – Newly released FBI documents are fueling scrutiny of the Justice Department’s handling of records related to Jeffrey Epstein, revealing explicit but unverified allegations that Donald Trump sexually assaulted a woman when she was a minor in the early 1980s. The allegations, contained in three FBI reports that were not initially released with millions of pages of Epstein-related files, center on claims made by a woman who came forward in 2019. The emergence of these reports has sparked outrage among congressional Democrats and prompted an investigation into whether the Justice Department deliberately withheld information. The core of the controversy revolves around the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November 2025, which mandated the release of documents pertaining to Epstein’s crimes.
The missing FBI “302” reports – internal notes taken by agents during interviews – detail 25 pages of interviews conducted over the summer and fall of 2019. According to a review by The Guardian, which first obtained the documents, the woman alleged that Epstein introduced her to Trump and a group of associates at a building in either New York or New Jersey. She claimed that Trump made a sexually suggestive comment to her and then attempted to assault her, and that she bit him in response. The FBI never pursued charges related to these claims, and the allegations remain unverified. The Justice Department maintains that the reports were withheld because they were considered duplicative or privileged.
The Justice Department released over 3.5 million pages of documents related to Epstein in January 2026, including more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. These files were collected from multiple investigations, including cases in Florida and New York involving Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, investigations into Epstein’s death, and FBI inquiries. The initial release did not include the three reports detailing the woman’s allegations against Trump. The existence of the missing documents was first reported by independent journalist Roger Sollenberger and subsequently confirmed by NPR, prompting a wave of criticism and calls for greater transparency.
Allegations Detail Encounters in the Early 1980s
The woman told FBI agents that the alleged abuse began when she was 13 years old, around 1983, whereas living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. She described being taken by Epstein to a building in either New York or New Jersey, traveling by plane or car. During this trip, she alleges she was introduced to Trump and a group of his associates. The FBI notes recount her claim that Trump, when they were alone, “mentioned something to the effect of: ‘Let me teach you how little girls are supposed to be,’” before allegedly attempting to sexually assault her. She told agents she bit him, and that Trump then struck her and had her removed from the room.
Beyond the alleged assault, the woman also claimed that Epstein and Trump discussed blackmailing individuals and that she overheard Trump talking about “washing money through casinos.” She further alleged that Epstein blackmailed her mother with explicit photographs, leading her mother to embezzle funds from her real estate company to pay him. The woman stated her mother attempted to “buy back the photos and secrets” over the years and was later imprisoned in South Carolina for embezzlement, with Epstein allegedly assisting in manipulating her financial records. The Guardian was unable to independently verify the details of her mother’s legal case or imprisonment.
Justice Department Defends Withholding of Reports
An administration official, speaking on background, told The Guardian that the missing reports were authentic but were flagged as “duplicative files” during the review process. The official stated that these files were not legally required to be released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The Justice Department echoed this explanation to NPR, stating that “nothing has been deleted” and that any withheld material fell into categories of duplication or privilege. This explanation has been met with skepticism from Democrats on Capitol Hill.
Representative Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, visited the Justice Department to review the unredacted files but was unable to locate the missing reports. “There is definitely, in my opinion, evidence of a cover-up happening,” Garcia told NBC News. He has demanded a “full accounting” from Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the withholding of the FBI interviews.
Questions Remain About Epstein’s Connections and the Investigation
The allegations raise further questions about the extent of Jeffrey Epstein’s network and the thoroughness of the initial investigations. Mark Epstein, Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, told The Guardian he had no knowledge of his brother spending summers in Hilton Head Island in the early 1980s, stating, “I would have known.” There is no publicly available evidence confirming a relationship between Trump and Epstein in 1983, although Trump told New York magazine in 2002 that he had met Epstein 15 years prior.
The woman who made the allegations has a complex history, facing multiple fraud and theft charges in Washington state and a felony charge for exploitation of an elderly person in Georgia in 2023. The resolution of these cases is currently unclear. She previously joined a lawsuit against Epstein’s estate in 2020, alleging similar details, but later dropped her claims. Her attorney in that case, Lisa Bloom, declined to comment.
The Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files continues to be a source of controversy, with ongoing scrutiny from lawmakers and the public. The department has stated it is continuing to review potentially duplicative files. The next step in the process is expected to be a response from the Justice Department to Representative Garcia’s demand for a full accounting of the withheld documents, a response that is anticipated in the coming weeks.
This is a developing story. Readers seeking support related to sexual assault can contact the RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or visit their website at https://www.rainn.org.
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