On Thursday, prominent progressive attorney Marc Elias offered a sharp critique of the Donald Trump administration’s approach to handling the impending release of files connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking on his Democracy Docket podcast, Elias suggested that President Donald Trump’s team is preparing a calculated rollout of documents designed more to protect political interests than to foster transparency.
According to Elias, the administration has already shown signs that it may not provide Congress with a full and honest picture of Epstein’s dealings. He pointed to a federal judge’s recent observation that the Justice Department seemed to be creating a “diversion” when it moved to release a limited set of grand jury records. These files, the judge noted, make up only a small portion of the government’s much larger collection of documents related to Epstein.
Elias predicted that the sequence of disclosures is likely to be deliberate and carefully managed to keep Trump’s name out of the earliest releases. “What I point out is that what they’re going to do is strategically decide what files to put out in what order,” Elias explained on his podcast.
“So, I promise you the very first files that come out will not mention the name Donald Trump at all. Probably the next files that come out will not mention Donald Trump at all. Those are going to be the files that the Department of Justice does not turn over to the House or at least does not turn them over easily.”
The attorney underscored the seriousness of such a maneuver, describing it as both devastating for the country’s democratic system and for individuals pulled into the scandal. “It is a calamity for democracy,” Elias declared. “It is a tragedy for the people caught up in this. But from a purely political standpoint, Republicans are just not on the right page.”
The controversy over the Epstein documents also looms large for congressional Republicans, who are due to reconvene in September. Elias argued that the party has already lost control of the narrative surrounding these files and is struggling to regain stability.
“They are they they got um they got off of their game plan around the Epstein files and they really have never regained their footing,” he said. “They continue to be off balance, and I suspect that’s going to continue when they come back into town.”
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From Elias’s perspective, the mishandling of the disclosures sets up GOP lawmakers for political trouble. With the file release becoming a focal point of national conversation, Republicans risk appearing evasive or complicit if they fail to demand greater transparency from the Trump administration. “I think this is setting them up for a really bad fall from a political standpoint,” Elias concluded.
The broader debate over these files underscores a fundamental tension between the executive branch’s control of sensitive material and Congress’s responsibility to investigate issues of public concern.
#WATCH | Judge rejects unsealing Epstein grand jury transcripts, citing victim safety, privacy concerns, as pressure mounts on DOJ transparency and accountability.#JeffreyEpstein #EpsteinFiles
(Video Source: Reuters) https://t.co/DscBht7WoG
— News18 (@CNNnews18) August 21, 2025
As the Friday deadline for partial disclosure approaches, skeptics remain doubtful that transparency will truly be prioritized. Elias’s remarks suggest that rather than shedding full light on Epstein’s connections and activities, the Trump administration may be preparing a selective release that shields key political figures, at least at the outset.
Whether Congress accepts that approach or pushes back more aggressively could define how this controversy unfolds in the months ahead.
