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What's Happening With The Epstein Files Release? The DOJ 'Jeffrey Epstein Phase 1 Files' Explained
After roughly two months in office, United States President Donald Trump delivered part of one of his campaign promises in which he said he would have “no problem” releasing more files related to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein in case he was reelected.
Yesterday, Attorney General Pam Bondi released the first phase of the so-called "Epstein Files," which are a cache of government documents related to the high-profile sex trafficking case that has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories, memes and jokes on the internet over the last several years.
The document's release caused some debate online, as it was first hand-selected and given to a group of right-wing social media influencers.
Let's take a look at why the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to release the Epstein Files and refresh our memories about one of the most publicized sex traffic cases in history, as well as how the internet is memeing and reacting to the long-awaited drop so far.
What Are The Epstein Files About?
Trusting that most people have at least heard about this case, instead of going into the intricate details revolving around Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking case, we'll leave this hilarious skit of comedian Jim Downey during an interview in the Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend podcast.
Jokes aside, the Epstein Files, also referred to as the "Ghislaine Maxwell Unsealed Documents," consist of crucial legal materials related to the infamous case surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was charged with aiding Epstein in his sexual exploitation activities.
These files originated from a 2015 civil lawsuit initiated by Virginia Giuffre against both Epstein and Maxwell. Giuffre's accusations claimed that Maxwell was instrumental in luring and grooming underage girls for sexual abuse.
Epstein, the New York City financier, died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 amid his ongoing charge of running a sex trafficking ring involving minors, fueling conspiracy theories and memes that he was killed in his jail cell to prevent information about his crimes from leaking out.
This, of course, famously gave rise to the meme and catchphrase "Epstein Didn't Kill Himself."
Why Were The Epstein Files Eventually Released in 2025?
The Epstein case and the files related to the crimes he committed have long been an obsession of those who are convinced the names of important figures involved in his sex trafficking network have been kept secret.
On February 27th, 2025, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, in conjunction with the FBI, declassified and publicly released the first phase of files related to Epstein and his sexual exploitation of over 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, among other locations.
According to The Washington Post, the files "acknowledged much of it had already made its way into the public domain," showing flight logs from Epstein’s private plane and transcripts from victim interviews, which "had previously been made public in Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 trial."
How Did The Internet React To The Epstein Files Release?
President Trump's DOJ initiative to release the Epstein Files culminated in frustration from many of his followers, as they felt “disappointment” to undergo thousands of pages looking for new evidence about Epstein’s connections to prominent political and business leaders.
For instance, X user @RepSwalwell posted an image of a file completely filled with censor bars, writing, "You were promised the full Epstein files. You got this."
On the same day, X user @WUTangKids posted a livestream video by influencer DC Draino, one of the first to receive the Epstein Files, showing that most of the binder and papers have censored a considerable amount of the content in them.
LMAO that moron DC Draino guy went live with the bombshell Epstein files they gave them in those fancy binders pic.twitter.com/tNvbfBDsdk
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) February 27, 2025
It's unknown when "Part 2" of the files will be released, as well as what they'll divulge, so we'll all just have to wait and see until then.
For the full history of the Epstein Files, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
