Topline
The FBI’s files on Jeffrey Epstein do not implicate any of his high-profile friends in the late financier’s sex trafficking scheme, FBI Director Kash Patel—under particular scrutiny after the agency’s investigation into the murder of Charlie Kirk—claimed Tuesday, sparking criticism from Democrats as the Trump administration continues to face scrutiny over its handling of the Epstein files.
FBI Director Kash Patel appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C.
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Key Facts
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., questioned Patel during a hearing Tuesday about his knowledge of the Epstein files, asking if the documents showed who else Epstein—who was indicted on sex trafficking charges before dying in prison in 2019—trafficked young women to.
Patel said he reviewed a “good amount” of the agency’s total Epstein files, though not all of them, and there is “no credible information” Epstein “trafficked to other individuals.”
“If there were I would bring the case yesterday,” Patel claimed, though he went on to say the information the FBI has is “limited” and the fact the FBI files don’t implicate any Epstein associates doesn’t mean “others were not involved.”
Patel defended the FBI’s decision not to release its full files on Epstein during his testimony Tuesday, claiming the agency was hamstrung by court rulings and alleging the agency is acting “transparently” by complying with a House subpoena for the full Epstein files.
Democrats immediately cast doubt on Patel’s claims that the Epstein files do not implicate any of the financier’s powerful friends, with Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., writing, “The White House cover-up continues…” and sharing a video of Patel previously claiming the FBI was hiding information about Epstein’s associates “because of who’s on that list.”
Kennedy also encouraged Patel to take further steps to expose any wrongdoing by Epstein’s associates, telling the FBI director the American people “want to know who, if anyone else, he trafficked those women to,” adding, “I think you’re going to have to do more to satisfy the American people in that regard.”
What To Watch For
The FBI and DOJ are still in the process of turning over Epstein files to House Oversight, which subpoenaed the agency for its full files on Epstein. Patel suggested Tuesday that what gets turned over to the committee will not be the agency’s full case file because of court orders blocking some information, as well as the non-prosecution agreement Epstein previously signed with the federal government in 2007. “The information we’re releasing now … is to the maximum capacity the law allows,” Patel testified Tuesday. Some legal experts criticized Patel’s comments blaming courts for blocking documents, however, noting the grand jury materials that courts have barred the Trump administration from releasing are relatively limited, compared to the entire tranche of documents the FBI has in its possession.
Kash Patel Testimony Comes While Under Fire After Kirk Investigation
Patel’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday comes as the FBI director has increasingly come under fire in the days after the fatal shooting of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk. Patel has been widely criticized for his handling of the agency’s investigation, including claiming on social media that a suspect was in custody, and then having to walk those comments back when the person was cleared of wrongdoing and released. Anonymous sources told Fox News the White House, along with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, “have no confidence” in Patel, with Fox also reporting the Trump administration is forming “contingency plans” for Patel stepping down. Bondi and Blanche have denied any animosity toward Patel, and anonymous sources told Axios that President Donald Trump is still “happy” with the FBI director and his “job is safe.” The FBI director has also come under scrutiny for allegedly firing veteran FBI officials for perceived disloyalty to Trump, with multiple fired officials filing a lawsuit against him last week challenging their firing, and additional terminated employees speaking out Tuesday in comments to The New York Times. Patel indicated during his testimony Tuesday that he doesn’t have any intention of leaving his role as FBI director, saying during his opening statement, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Key Background
The FBI and DOJ have come under scrutiny for their handling of the Epstein files in recent months, after releasing a memo that said the agency would not release any further documents to the public and debunked popular conspiracy theories about the financier, such as the existence of a so-called Epstein “client list.” The memo sparked a broad backlash from even longtime Trump supporters, who felt betrayed after officials like Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino had long played a role in spreading the conspiracy theories and pushing for the documents’ release in the first place. The Trump administration has so far still remained unwilling to release more Epstein documents on their own accord, though they have complied with the House subpoena. Patel has long been considered a controversial pick for the FBI director role, coming to the position after becoming known as a Trump ally and outspoken right-wing commentator who called for revenge against government officials that he believed were disloyal to Trump.
Further Reading
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2025/09/16/epstein-files-dont-implicate-others-in-trafficking-scheme-fbi-chief-patel-claims/
