Ruling cites Trump-signed transparency law overriding grand jury secrecy, as White House touts “full disclosure” on Epstein files.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal judge in Fort Lauderdale has unsealed Jeffrey Epstein grand jury records, citing a new federal law championed and signed by President Donald Trump that overrides traditional secrecy protections.
U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith, a Trump appointee, ruled that the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed into law last month, supersedes Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, which normally shields grand jury materials from disclosure.
“The Act applies to unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials that relate to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” Judge Smith wrote in his order. “Consequently, the later-enacted and specific language of the Act trumps Rule 6’s prohibition on disclosure.”
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The Justice Department’s expedited motion to unseal the records was granted in full. The ruling clears the way for thousands of pages of previously confidential grand jury material to be made public for the first time.
Josh Gerstein of Politico reported the decision Friday, noting that Judge Smith emphasized the law’s explicit intent to promote transparency over secrecy.
The landmark ruling follows President Trump’s signing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandates the release of all unclassified materials connected to the Epstein investigation. The House approved the bill by an overwhelming bipartisan margin—with only Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) voting against it on privacy grounds—before the Senate passed it by unanimous consent.
At the signing, Trump praised Congress for acting swiftly and called the measure “a promise kept to the American people.” He stated that the bill would expose years of hidden misconduct involving high-profile political and financial figures.
In a Truth Social post, the president underscored that Epstein had been charged by his own Justice Department in 2019, not under Democrats. Trump accused the opposition of weaponizing the Epstein case to distract from Republican successes and suggested the files would implicate “many well-known Democrat figures,” including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.
“Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!” Trump wrote. “At my direction, the Department of Justice has already turned over close to fifty thousand pages of documents to Congress.”
The Epstein Files Transparency Act was introduced after years of bipartisan frustration over secrecy surrounding Epstein’s 2008 plea deal and the broader investigation into his associates. Trump administration officials said the new law ensures that “no federal agency can suppress unclassified information in cases of public corruption or sexual exploitation.”
Judge Smith’s order represents the first major judicial application of the new law. The unsealed materials are expected to shed new light on Epstein’s operations, his network of political and business contacts, and federal prosecutors’ handling of his case prior to his death in custody.
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed Friday that the records will be processed and released “in accordance with the court’s directive and the statutory framework established by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.”
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