BY MIRABLE ODETA
The U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday made public additional FBI records summarizing interviews with an unidentified woman who alleged that she had a troubling encounter with President Donald Trump decades ago. The documents, which relate to the federal investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, shed new light on claims the woman shared with investigators during multiple interviews in 2019.
According to the records, FBI agents met with the woman four times that year while examining Epstein’s activities and the broader network of individuals connected to him. Earlier disclosures from the Justice Department had acknowledged that the interviews occurred but only summarized one meeting, during which the woman accused Epstein of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. The newly released documents now reveal that she also described an alleged encounter involving Trump.
In the records, the woman told investigators that Epstein introduced her to Trump in either New York or New Jersey during the 1980s. She said she was between 13 and 15 years old at the time. During the interview summaries, the woman claimed that Trump attempted to pressure her into performing a sexual act after the introduction arranged by Epstein.
The records were posted on the Justice Department’s website on Thursday and included interview notes and summaries prepared by FBI agents. Officials explained that the documents were part of a group of 15 files that had previously not been released because they were mistakenly classified as duplicates during the department’s document review process.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions regarding the newly disclosed materials. However, media reports cited White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt as dismissing the woman’s account, describing the claims as completely baseless accusations unsupported by credible evidence.
Justice Department officials also cautioned readers that some materials within the Epstein investigation files contain unverified or sensational allegations. Authorities emphasized that the documents reflect statements made during interviews and do not necessarily represent confirmed facts.
The release of the files comes amid growing political scrutiny over how federal authorities are handling records connected to Epstein. Members of Congress have been pressing the department to make more materials available to the public as part of transparency requirements related to the investigation. Democratic lawmakers have argued that some records may have been withheld or delayed, particularly those potentially involving prominent public figures.
In recent weeks, the controversy intensified when a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi. Lawmakers said they want to question her directly about how the Justice Department has managed the disclosure of documents tied to the Epstein case and whether additional files remain unreleased.
Trump has repeatedly said that his relationship with Epstein ended years before the financier’s criminal activities became widely known. The former president has stated that he was not aware of Epstein’s alleged abuse at the time and that he severed ties with him in the mid-2000s.
Previously released government records show that Trump traveled several times on Epstein’s private plane during the 1990s, although Trump has denied those reports. Documents from earlier FBI interviews also indicate that after Epstein first faced accusations of sexual misconduct, Trump contacted the police chief in Palm Beach and remarked that many people were already aware of Epstein’s behavior.
The most recently disclosed interview summary describes a final meeting between the woman and investigators in October 2019, during Trump’s first term as president. In that conversation, FBI agents asked whether she would be willing to provide additional details about her allegations involving Trump.
According to the agent’s written account, the woman questioned whether coming forward with more information would have any impact. She reportedly told investigators that she wondered what the purpose would be of sharing further details at that stage in her life if there was a strong possibility that no action could be taken.
The release of these records adds another layer to the ongoing examination of Epstein’s connections and the people who moved within his social and business circles. While the documents include serious accusations, federal officials have stressed that they represent statements gathered during an investigation and should not be interpreted as verified conclusions about the events described.