Vice President JD Vance sparked fresh controversy this week when he blamed the Biden administration for failing to release Jeffrey Epstein files. The comments came during a USA Today interview where Vance defended President Donald Trump’s handling of documents related to the late convicted sex offender.
Vance claimed the Biden administration had four years to release Epstein-related information but failed to act. He told USA Today that the entire Epstein story “blew up” during Biden’s presidency. However, critics quickly pointed out timeline problems with this defense.
Jeffrey Epstein died in federal prison in August 2019, about 18 months before Biden took office in January 2021. The wealthy financier’s arrest, death and subsequent public outrage all occurred during Trump’s first administration.
The Trump administration has faced mounting pressure from supporters to release promised Epstein files. During the 2024 campaign, both Trump and Vance pledged to make these documents public if elected. Trump told Fox News he would release the files, though he later expressed concerns about “phony stuff” in the documents.
In July 2025, the Justice Department issued a memo stating no client list exists and no further files would be released. The memo said officials found “no credible evidence” that Epstein blackmailed prominent figures. This announcement angered Trump supporters who had expected full transparency.
The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Attorney General Pam Bondi told Trump his name appeared in some unreleased files. Trump has denied this report, calling it “fake news”. The White House gave conflicting responses about Trump’s inclusion in the documents.
Vance recently defended Trump’s transparency efforts despite the administration’s reversal on file releases. He claimed Trump ordered “full transparency” on the Epstein issue. The vice president also cited a prison interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, who vouched for Trump’s character.
Maxwell told Justice Department officials she never witnessed Trump in “any inappropriate setting”. The convicted sex trafficker praised Trump during the interview, calling him “a gentleman in all respects”. Critics questioned Maxwell’s credibility, noting she seeks a presidential pardon and was moved to minimum security prison after the interview.
The Epstein case has deep ties to Trump’s first administration. Alex Acosta, who negotiated Epstein’s controversial 2008 plea deal as a federal prosecutor, served as Trump’s Labor Secretary. Acosta resigned in July 2019 after Epstein’s arrest renewed scrutiny of the lenient agreement.
That 2008 deal allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges and serve just 13 months in county jail. He was permitted work release during much of his sentence. A Justice Department review later found Acosta used “poor judgment” but cleared him of professional misconduct.
House Republicans have subpoenaed several former officials for testimony about Epstein investigations. The list includes former presidents Bill and Hillary Clinton, plus former FBI directors. Notably absent from initial subpoenas was Acosta, though he has now agreed to testify voluntarily.
Trump continues to face questions about his past friendship with Epstein during the 1990s and 2000s. The president has acknowledged knowing Epstein but says they had a “falling out” in 2004. Trump claims he hadn’t spoken to Epstein for 15 years before the financier’s arrest.
Some Trump supporters remain frustrated with the administration’s handling of the file release promise. Prominent figures like Joe Rogan have called the reversal a “line in the sand” issue. Others across the political spectrum continue demanding full disclosure of Epstein-related documents.
