GAO Reviews DOJ Redactions in Epstein Files at Senators' Request

The Government Accountability Office has opened a review into how the Justice Department has handled redactions from investigative documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein. A bipartisan group of senators asked the Government Accountability Office to review the DOJ's protocols.

The request followed instances where identities that should not have been redacted under the Epstein Files Transparency Act were protected, while victims' identities that should have been redacted were exposed.

A spokesperson for the Government Accountability Office confirmed the review. The Government Accountability Office cannot provide estimates on a completion date for the review at this time.

The probe comes less than a week after the Justice Department's inspector general's office announced a separate investigation into DOJ's compliance with the Epstein files law. The Epstein files law compelled the Justice Department to release investigative records related to the Epstein case that would otherwise not be made public.

The senators were told by the Government Accountability Office that their investigators will be in contact with the Inspector General’s office to ensure no duplication of efforts.

The senators' letter to the Government Accountability Office asked it to review how many people were involved in the review and release process. The letter asked for all guidance, written or otherwise, provided by DOJ or other senior Trump Administration officials to those tasked with reviewing and redacting the Epstein files for public release from January 20, 2025 to the present.

The senators' letter asked for specific directives given to those reviewing and redacting the files with respect to possible victims. The senators' letter asked the watchdog to look into any and all political appointees with a role in the removal process of already published Epstein records from DOJ’s website.

The objective of the DOJ inspector general investigation is to evaluate the DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records as required by the Act, a deputy inspector general stated. An acting attorney general has maintained the DOJ is in compliance with the law.

The acting attorney general acknowledged that the department is withholding some three million files. The acting attorney general said most of the withheld files are duplicates and some are being withheld to comply with other parts of the law, including to protect survivors' identities.

The spokesman said the Justice Department has asked the public and victims to contact them to address any oversights, which they have been doing daily. Jeffrey Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Federal investigators have said Epstein preyed on women.

U.S. in the Epstein case were Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a prison sentence. Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act following backlash from an unsigned joint FBI-Justice Department memo over the summer of 2025.

The memo stated that the FBI and Justice Department had conducted a review of files related to Epstein and did not turn up evidence that could lead to an investigation against uncharged third parties. The memo stated they would not be releasing more information about the Epstein case. The Government Accountability Office is an independent and nonpartisan investigative watchdog for Congress.