Bloomberg reported Friday that President Donald Trump was among those whose names were redacted from documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
According to reporting by Bloomberg’s Jason Leopold, an FBI Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) team conducted a final review of extensive files linked to the late billionaire. The review included redacting the names of Trump—who once had a personal relationship with Epstein—and other “prominent public figures.”
This final review took place prior to the release of a Department of Justice/FBI memo that concluded Epstein had died by suicide and that releasing further documents was not “warranted,” a determination that quickly sparked backlash among Trump supporters.
As Leopold noted, Trump was a private citizen at the time of the Epstein investigation, which began in 2006, and is therefore entitled to privacy under FOIA guidelines. While Trump’s past association with Epstein has been well-documented, his name appearing in related documents does not in itself suggest involvement in any criminal activity.
Epstein, who was already a convicted sex offender, died in 2019 while facing new sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
The DOJ/FBI memo has drawn criticism from prominent voices in the MAGA movement, including Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, who have both called for more transparency and the release of additional documents.
President Trump has also called for further disclosures, although he’s dismissed rumors of a so-called “client list” of Epstein associates as a “hoax.”
Bloomberg’s report states that FBI officials found numerous references to Trump’s name—as well as others—within the trove of Epstein-related documents. However, names of Trump and other prominent individuals were redacted in line with FOIA exemptions, particularly as many were private citizens at the time the investigation began.
