Epstein files latest: 'Several hundred thousand documents' to be released today, Trump official expects

Donald Trump, for one reason or another, has been at the centre of calls to release all the Jeffrey Epstein files.

That's because even his own base has been demanding full transparency, ultimately forcing the president's hand despite his claims of a "Democrat hoax".

He has, it must be said, never been accused of any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein, and he denies any.

He's distanced himself from his former friend, saying they fell out years before his offending came to light.

And ever since his about-turn over the files, his agenda has been typically busy.

At the forefront of his mind over recent weeks has been one country in particular - Venezuela.

Just last night, he told our US partner network NBC News he's leaving the possibility of a war with the South American country on the table.

"I don't rule it out, no," he said in a phone interview.

Read more from NBC in the link below...

Our US correspondent James Matthews has been sharing his thoughts.

He was speaking on the back of the deputy attorney general's remarks that we'll see "several hundred thousand documents" in the coming release (see our 13.40 post for more).

But Matthews warns he expects "extensive redactions" in the release and he's not sure if we'll get answers from them.

Watch here to find out why...

We're expecting the release of hundreds of thousands of Epstein files over the coming 12 hours or so.

The US Department of Justice has until 4.59am tomorrow morning in the UK.

And that deadline - near as it may be - has been a long time coming. 

Here's how we got here...

We know when we'll hear from the US president today.

Donald Trump is making an announcement from the Roosevelt Room in the White House at 6pm UK time (1pm in Washington).

According to his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, this will be on the price of drugs and pharmaceuticals in the US.

If he takes questions, or meanders in his remarks, there's a good chance the Epstein files could come up.

Then, at around 9.15pm in the UK (4.15pm in Washington), Trump will take part in a Christmas reception, also in the White House. This will be closed to the press, according to the current schedule.

This evening, Trump is giving remarks in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

According to the Republican National Committee, the event starts at 7pm local time - midnight here in the UK - but it's likely Trump won't speak until later.

As is often the case with the sitting US president, there's always the chance he will post on his Truth Social platform at any time today.

So stick with us, but we'll likely hear from Trump about the Epstein files at some point.

We've just heard from the most senior Republican on the Oversight Committee.

As a reminder, their Democrat counterparts have been releasing a small number of documents handed over by the estate of Jeffrey Epstein over the past few weeks - the most recent release was last night.

The full release of the files will be done by the US Department of Justice.

GOP representative James Comer has accused the oversight Democrats of having "cherry-picked" documents to release.

Comer claims they "searched for a single word: 'Trump.'"

We've just heard from the first Trump official this morning about the release of the Epstein files.

Deputy attorney general Todd Blanche has been speaking to Fox News.

He confirms that the plan is to release documents today, but he adds that they won't all come at once.

Blanche says:

"I expect that we're going to release several hundred thousand documents today, and those documents will come in all different forms - photographs and other materials associated with all of the investigations into, into Mr Epstein."

Blanche adds that the justice department has been "working tirelessly" since Trump signed the Epstein Transparency Bill into law.

He goes on to explain:

"I expect that we’re going to release more documents over the next couple of weeks... So today, several hundred thousand [documents], and then, over the next couple of weeks, I expect several hundred thousand more." 

We brought you news earlier of Democrats trying to up the pressure on the Trump administration (see our 11.49 post), and here's a bit more on that theme now.

Representative Ro Khanna, speaking yesterday, warned attorney general Pam Bondi that he would seek to impeach her if she didn't comply with the law.

Here's what he said:

"Here is the reality: any justice department official who does not comply with this law will be subject to prosecution for obstruction of justice. If Pam Bondi does not comply with the law she will be held either in inherent contempt of congress or subject to impeachment. We will not rest until the law is complied with and justice is served."

Watch Khanna speaking here...

According to a new report from Reuters news agency, there are fears of potential mistakes among the officials ordered to review and redact the Epstein files, in preparation for their release.

Lawyers in the justice department's National Security Division were ordered to review the materials ahead of release.

They have been told to redact certain information within the files.

The law that passed last month allows the withholding of personal information about Epstein's victims as well as any material that would jeopardise an active investigation. 

Citing two sources with knowledge of the matter, Reuters reports that lawyers have been working on the task since Thanksgiving and have been told to prioritise it over other work.

However, with a tight turnaround, Reuters reports there are fears of potential mistakes among some of the officials, as well as the chance that some personal information may not be redacted.

Republican representative Thomas Massie co-led the effort to push the Epstein Transparency Bill through both houses of the US Congress - despite opposition from his own party and president.

It was this law that led to the fast-approaching deadline to release the Epstein files.

In a 14-minute video shared on his social media, Massie runs through some of what to expect ahead of the release.

He says it took "five months of siege warfare" to get to where we are.

This, Massie says in remarks repeatedly criticising his own party, was done against the will of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson.

He also says that the Epstein files combine documents from three places:

• US attorneys
• The FBI
• The justice department, which has grand jury material from three courts - two in New York and one in Florida

In the aftermath of yesterday's publication of 68 pictures - see our 10.08 post for more - Democrats on the Oversight Committee have been trying to pile pressure on the Trump administration.

Throughout the last month, the Democrats have released a small number of what they've said are the 95,000 documents they've received from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein.

Robert Garcia is the most senior Democrat on the committee. Speaking late yesterday, he promised: 

"We are going all in - and on all platforms - to hold Trump and those harming the American people accountable."

Also speaking yesterday, Garcia admitted there was some uncertainty whether Trump's justice department would comply with the law.

Garcia added: "The truth is that we don't know what the DOJ [Department of Justice] is going to do tomorrow. 

"But they have a chance to do the right thing, and they should take it."

Similarly, representative Summer Lee, who is another Democrat on the Oversight Committee, speaking late yesterday, said: "Tomorrow is the deadline for Trump to release the full, unredacted Epstein files, but let's not forget the DOJ has been on the hook to release them since my motion to subpoena passed in July. It's well past time for transparency and justice for the survivors."