What we're covering
• Epstein files: The Justice Department released a heavily redacted trove of files yesterday related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. It did not release all the documents, as was called for in legislation passed last month. Some survivors expressed frustration as they struggled to find information about their own cases.
• Trump’s speech: Elsewhere, President Donald Trump gave a meandering speech in North Carolina. Earlier, he announced pricing deals with nine pharmaceutical companies in his latest effort to lower drug costs.
• International affairs: The US military struck multiple ISIS-related targets in Syria yesterday, according to two US officials, an attack that fulfilled Trump’s vow to avenge the recent killing of two American service members in the country. And off the coast of Venezuela, personnel from the United States boarded and seized a vessel, according to an official familiar with the matter.
US seizes another vessel off Venezuela, source says
Personnel from the United States boarded and seized a vessel off the coast of Venezuela, according to an official familiar with the matter, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The operation was led by the US Coast Guard, with assistance from the US military. It occurred in international waters, the official said.
It was the second known instance of the US interdicting a vessel near Venezuela in the last two weeks. The US seized a large oil tanker called the Skipper, which had been under sanctions for its ties to Iran, on December 10.
President Donald Trump said afterward the US would continue to go after vessels transporting Venezuelan oil. And he announced this week a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of the country.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the vessel seized Saturday was under sanctions.
The Coast Guard referred questions on the operation to the White House, which did not respond to a request for comment.
Some context: Combined with Trump’s repeated threats of land strikes on Venezuelan soil, the seizures of vessels have ratcheted up pressure on Caracas by going after its economic lifeline, which had already come under strain after new sanctions on the oil sector earlier this year.
Venezuela’s oil reserves are the world’s largest but operate well below capacity due to international sanctions. Much of the country’s oil is sold to China.
Hand-written phone slips among newest documents released by DOJ
Among the documents DOJ released overnight are also several hand-written phone slips for Epstein, with one saying, “She has female friend for you. Please call back as soon as possible.”
A few other messages also mention someone having a “female” for Epstein but names on the slips, except that of Epstein, have been redacted so it is unclear who the messages were from.
One message slip indicates that now-President Donald Trump called for Epstein, though there is no information about why he called or when the message was taken. Trump’s association with Epstein has long been public, though the US president has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.
Justice Department releases more Epstein files overnight
The Justice Department released additional files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein around midnight on Saturday.
The newly released files contain grand jury materials from the cases of Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, including grand jury testimonies and flight logs with several names redacted.
Federal judges recently authorized the Justice Department to release grand jury materials — which typically remain sealed even after a case is over — because of Congress’ recent passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month.
This latest drop contains the PowerPoint presentations that federal prosecutors showed to grand jurors as they sought to secure indictments against Epstein and Maxwell. It appears that this is the first time these slideshows have been publicly released by the Justice Department.
The 32-slide Epstein presentation from June 2019, which contains redactions, showed grand jurors Epstein’s properties, notes about women, financial transactions and travel logs. The two separate presentations for the Maxwell grand jury feature photos of her with Epstein, flight manifests, and snippets of Maxwell’s past testimony.
The new releases also include testimony that an FBI agent gave to the grand jury that handed up an indictment against Epstein in 2019. The agent describes how one 14-year-old girl who, according to the agent, dropped out of school during her freshman year before she was introduced to Epstein.
“She met a girl,” the agent said, “who told her she could make money if she massaged this rich guy.” The girl’s name is redacted.
The agent continues, describing to the grand jury the horrific ways in which he said Epstein sexually abused the young girl, and how other girls were recruited to continue the cycle, with one girl bringing in “20 to 50” girls for Epstein.
It is unclear why the Justice Department released this batch of materials separately from the earlier disclosures on Friday and in the middle of the night. Top DOJ officials have said for weeks that these materials would be part of the “Epstein files” release, and the DOJ even unsuccessfully went to court in August to try to release them before Congress passed the new law.
Catch up on other developments from the Trump administration
On top of the release of more Epstein files, it’s been a busy 24 hours in Washington. Here’s a round-up of the latest developments:
- The US yesterday conducted strikes in Syria in response to an attack that killed two American soldiers earlier this month. President Donald Trump said he’d ordered a “massive strike” on ISIS members in Syria, calling it “very successful.”“It was precision. We hit every site flawlessly, and we are restoring peace through strength,” he said.
- In a bid to lower drug costs, Trump unveiled “Most Favored Nation” pricing deals with nine more pharmaceutical companies. The program calls for drugmakers to price medications sold in the US at the lowest cost available in peer countries.
- A Russian envoy is expected to meet with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Miami in the coming days, a Russian source confirmed to CNN yesterday. Kiril Dmitriev, President Putin’s special envoy, is expected to be briefed on the revised peace proposals to end the Ukraine war.
- An tanker sanctioned by the US entered Venezuelan waters yesterday, ship tracking data showed, despite Trump previously declaring a “total and complete blockade” of such vessels transiting the country. The Gambia-flagged ship was seen near a refinery off Venezuela’s Amuay Bay, according to ship tracking data.
- During a meandering speech in North Carolina yesterday, Trump pledged to let the country know should his health decline. “When that time comes, I will let you know about it. In fact, you’ll probably find out about it just by watching,” he said. “But that time is not now, because I feel the same that I felt for 50 years.”
CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Tami Luhby, Adam Cancryn, Meg Tirrell, Michael Rios and Matthew Chance contributed to this reporting.
Who is featured in the latest Epstein document release?
Among the thousands of documents released yesterday related to the Jeffery Epstein investigation were photographs and files featuring notable figures and celebrities.
None of the released images depicts sexual activity, and many are simply images of people at public events or functions together.
Here are some of the well-known faces featured in the documents:
- Former President Bill Clinton: The 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, featured heavily in the documents that were released. One image showed him in a hot tub next to someone whose face was redacted. A spokesperson for Clinton said in a statement yesterday that the Trump administration was “shielding themselves from what comes next.”
- Actor Kevin Spacey: Another image shows Clinton in London with his former top adviser Doug Band and actor Kevin Spacey. It appears to date from October 2002, when Clinton traveled to Africa on a humanitarian trip aboard Epstein’s private jet with Spacey and actor Chris Tucker. Speaking on Spacey’s behalf, a source familiar with the matter told CNN, “we’re happy to see the files being released,” adding that the fact that the plane was owned by Epstein is “meaningless.”
- Singer Michael Jackson: Another photo released is of pop icon Michael Jackson standing next to Epstein. The two are seen standing in front of a painting of what appears to be a naked woman. It is unclear when or where the photo was taken. Jackson died in 2009. CNN reached out to Jackson’s estate for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
- Newsman Walter Cronkite: Late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite is pictured several times in the latest batch of Epstein documents. In a series of photos labelled “Walter Cronkite 1/07,” Cronkite sits across from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on a couch next to another man.
- Singer and actress Diana Ross: One photo released shows singer and actress Diana Ross alongside Clinton, Jackson and a person whose face is redacted. CNN reached out to representatives for Ross but did not immediately receive a response.
CNN’s Holmes Lybrand, Andrew Kaczynski, Em Steck and Allison Gordon contributed to this reporting.
Justice Department releases more Epstein files overnight
The Justice Department released more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein at around 12 a.m. ET.
Our team is currently going through these documents now and we’ll bring you any relevant material as it comes to light. Stay with us.
Why has so much been redacted from the released Epstein files?
Among the thousands of documents released by the Justice Department yesterday also came a host of redactions - many of which were inconsistently implemented, with others censoring beyond what the law requires.
In a letter to Congress yesterday describing the release, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said that the Justice Department believes it can black out information, even when it falls outside of the legally mandated redactions.
Typically, these redactions are used for protecting victims, showing gruesome injury or abuse, exposing personal information, or jeopardizing ongoing investigations and national security.
The Justice Department is also holding back what it believes would be protected internal information, including documents showing deliberative process, work product and attorney-client communications that would be privileged, Blanche wrote in the letter.
But this level of redaction has faced criticism, with House Democrats making clear that if the Justice Department wasn’t fully complying with the law, they could consider going to court to force more information in the documents to be released.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, in a statement released yesterday, that “the Trump administration had 30 days to release ALL the Epstein files, not just some. Failing to do so is breaking the law.”
CNN’s Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett contributed to this reporting.
“This is absolutely breaking the law,” House Oversight Committee Democrat says of incomplete file release
While the Department of Justice released thousands of documents related to the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein yesterday, there are still more files that haven’t been released. This is in spite of a law that said that all files related to the investigation were to be released by December 19.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the ongoing review process could be completed “over the next two weeks.”
Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, says “this is absolutely breaking the law.”
He commented on the “highly redacted” material and the fact that some of the files were already released to the public from various court cases and public records requests.
Garcia said that the public may only be seeing around 10% of information that the DOJ has, with half of that figure already having been released. The other half “is highly redacted,” Garcia said.
He called on President Donald Trump to “release all the files” immediately.
CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed reporting.
Catch up on the pictures seen in the newly-released Epstein files
These photographs — featuring some well-known names — are just some of those released in the latest batch of files related to the Jeffery Epstein investigation. Among those featured are former president Bill Clinton, and actor Kevin Spacey.
Clinton has never been accused by law enforcement of any wrongdoing related to Epstein, and a spokesperson has said he cut ties with Epstein before his arrest on federal charges in 2019 and didn’t know about his crimes.
“Everyone, especially MAGA, expects answers, not scapegoats,” Ureña added.
Speaking on Spacey’s behalf, a source familiar with the matter told CNN, “we’re happy to see the files being released,” adding “that trip still remains a huge highlight in Kevin’s life and the fact that the plane was owned by Epstein (3 years before he would first be investigated) is meaningless. Whatever activities may have been taking place in the background have nothing to do with Kevin. No more than if someone is doing something wrong in the hotel room next to yours.”
The files contain details of sexual abuse that can be distressing - here are some resources that can help.
President Trump returns to Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after North Carolina speech
President Donald Trump is now back at his Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, after making a speech in North Carolina about the economy last night.
He’s expected to remain there during the holidays through January 4 and has no public events scheduled. We’re awaiting any potential response from the administration on the release of files related to the Jeffery Epstein investigation.
The president hopes to refocus the nation’s attention on his economic record ahead of next year’s critical midterm elections.
But as Kevin Liptak reports here, it was another reminder that his own focus often remains somewhat adrift.
What we've learned from the Justice Department’s Epstein files release
Thousands of documents related to sex offender and accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein were released by the Justice Department yesterday, as a deadline set by law forced the Trump administration’s hand.
The batch of documents appears, at least after early reviews, to include no smoking guns and relatively few major revelations. More documents are set to be released in the coming weeks, the Justice Department said yesterday.
We’ll bring you reaction as and when we get it today. Here are some takeaways on what we learned from the release:
The administration failed to follow the law, likely seeding more suspicion
The Justice Department was ordered by law to release all documents related to Epstein by yesterday’s deadline - something it has not done. Many of the documents were also heavily redacted, despite the law saying records can’t be “withheld, delayed, or redacted” due to concerns about “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”
A heavy dose of Clinton
Among the many files released were several featuring former president Bill Clinton, something the Trump administration took great care to point out.
There were a number of never-before-released pictures of Clinton, but perhaps the most notable ones showed Clinton in water next to someone whose face was redacted. A Justice Department spokesman, Gates McGavick, in a post on X identified someone in a hot tub with Clinton as a “victim.”
A remarkable lack of Trump
Despite Trump and Epstein having had what clearly appears to be a close friendship for many years, the president showed up very rarely in this first batch of documents, at least after early reviews.
One image released shows a number of photos featuring Trump and many others, arrayed across a desk and in a drawer. Other photos had previously been public. Trump’s name appeared in Epstein’s phone and message books and on flight manifests, as it has before, and in depositions by others. Trump didn’t address the situation in comments to reporters last night.
Confirmation that law enforcement was warned very early
One entry in the new documents confirms just how long the system failed to being Epstein to justice.
It confirmed that Epstein survivor Maria Farmer filed a complaint against Epstein related to child pornography as far back as the mid-1990s. A 1996 FBI document references the complaint. While Farmer’s name is redacted, her lawyer, Jennifer Freeman, confirmed it was her report. In the complaint, Epstein is alleged to have stolen photos of Farmer’s underage sisters.
The documents continue to turn up more famous people
The newly-released documents feature photos of famous people including Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. In other photos, Epstein is pictured across a table from famed newsman Walter Cronkite.
There is no evidence any of them engaged in illegal activity. Jackson and Cronkite died in 2009. Ross and Jackson’s estate did not immediately comment to CNN.
Read more on this analysis of the latest document release here.
CNN’s Catherine Nicholls contributed to this reporting.
