WASHINGTON — In a sweeping disclosure that has intensified political tensions in the nation’s capital, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has transmitted an official list to Congress naming every “government official and politically exposed person” mentioned in the Jeffrey Epstein files. The letter, sent Saturday by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, confirms that President Donald Trump, former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and several sitting lawmakers are among those identified in the millions of pages of documents .
The six-page communication to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees marks the federal government’s first formal accounting of high-profile individuals linked to the disgraced financier’s records, fulfilling requirements under Section 3 of the Epstein Files Transparency Act .
The Unredacted List: Who Was Named?
According to the DOJ letter, the list includes “all persons where (1) they are or were a government official or politically exposed person and (2) their name appears in the files released under the Act at least once” . The department emphasized that the names appear in a “wide variety of contexts”—ranging from direct email correspondence with Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell to mere mentions in third-party media clippings or background documents .
Beyond the former presidents, the catalogue spans the political spectrum. It includes members of the Biden and Obama families, senior lawmakers from both parties, and international figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu and Tony Blair . The DOJ also listed Treasury Secretary Howard Lutnick, who faced recent congressional scrutiny over his association with Epstein, as well as business titans Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos .
In a twist that has sparked outrage among transparency advocates, the list also named the very lawmakers who fought hardest to force the disclosure: former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) .
“Muddying the Waters”: Lawmakers Push Back
The inclusion of these congressional figures has drawn sharp criticism. Greene took to social media to express bewilderment, noting that she only took office in 2021—two years after Epstein’s death. “My mentions in the files are basically stories unrelated to Epstein like me criticizing Covid masks rules,” she wrote. “What kind of files are the FBI and DOJ keeping on us?” .
Khanna, a co-sponsor of the transparency legislation, accused the Justice Department of deliberately obscuring the truth. “The DOJ is once again purposefully muddying the waters on who was a predator and who was mentioned in an email,” he posted on X. He pointed to the absurdity of including deceased celebrities like Janis Joplin—who died when Epstein was 17—on the same list as convicted sex offender Larry Nassar, with “no clarification of how either was mentioned” .
Massie went further in a Sunday interview on ABC’s This Week, slamming what he called Trump’s “Epstein administration” for failing to provide full transparency. “Donald Trump told us that even though he had dinner with these kinds of people… that he would be transparent. But he’s not. He’s still in with the Epstein class,” Massie said .
What Are Trump’s Documented Links to Epstein?
The newly released files and accompanying DOJ summary shed additional light on the long-scrutinized relationship between Trump and Epstein. While the president has not been accused of criminal wrongdoing related to Epstein’s sex trafficking operations, the documents detail a social acquaintance spanning decades .
Flight Logs and Social History
Internal prosecutor emails from January 2020, included in the files, indicate that Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet “many more times than previously reported.” The communication lists eight flights between 1993 and 1996, some of which included Ghislaine Maxwell as a passenger. Destinations were primarily domestic, shuttling between New Jersey, Palm Beach, and Washington, D.C. . One flight log reportedly included only Trump, Epstein, and a 20-year-old whose name was redacted .
Trump had previously denied being on Epstein’s plane, stating in 2024, “I was never on Epstein’s Plane.” The flight records appear to contradict that assertion, though they predate Epstein’s known criminal activity by several years .
Mar-a-Lago Connections
The files also reveal that prosecutors subpoenaed employment records from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in 2021 during the investigation into Maxwell . This move ties directly to the testimony of Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers, who stated she was recruited from her job as a locker room attendant at Mar-a-Lago—at age 16—to work for Epstein . Trump himself acknowledged this recruitment in a July 2025 remark, stating that Epstein “stole” Giuffre from his club .
FBI Investigative Notes
Among the millions of pages released are FBI interview notes containing unverified allegations. One memo describes an Epstein victim’s account that Maxwell once “presented her” to Trump at a party, telling her, “Oh I think he likes you. Aren’t you lucky” . The woman reportedly told investigators that “nothing happened” between her and Trump .
Another document includes a list of unverified assault allegations against Trump compiled by FBI officials in August 2025, though the Justice Department has stated these claims are “unfounded and false” and appear to originate from tips submitted before the 2020 election .
Personal Correspondence
A lewd drawing of a prepubescent torso, reportedly sketched by Trump as a birthday gift for Epstein and bearing Trump’s signature, was released by the Epstein estate. Trump has denied making the drawing . Additionally, a fake letter supposedly sent by Epstein from jail claiming “our president shares our love of young, nubile girls” was debunked by the FBI, which confirmed it was a forgery .
The Political Fallout
The release comes after months of tension between congressional transparency advocates and the Trump administration. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, spearheaded by Massie and Khanna and signed into law by Trump in November 2025, required the public release of all unclassified records . However, critics argue the final product lacks necessary context.
The DOJ maintains that no records were withheld “on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity” . Redactions, officials say, were strictly limited to protecting victims’ identities, shielding child sexual abuse material, and preserving active investigations .
Representative Nancy Mace remained defiant, writing on X: “If the DOJ isn’t going to do their job and arrest predators, then we will do their job for them” .
For now, the official Epstein name list sits with both parties on Capitol Hill, adding a new chapter to the political aftershocks of one of the most scrutinized criminal investigations in modern American history—and ensuring the debate over who knew what, and when, is far from over .