Democrats call missing Trump documents in Epstein files ‘largest cover-up in modern history’
France 24
by FRANCE 24February 26, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Democrats have accused the Trump administration of engaging in what they call "the largest government cover-up in modern history" after investigative reports revealed that documents related to a sexual assault complaint against former President Donald Trump were not released by the FBI from Jeffrey Epstein's files. The House Oversight Committee pointed to gaps in the publicly available records, noting that while millions of pages from the Epstein files have been made public under a transparency law, critical evidence tied to one woman's 2019 allegations against Trump remains missing. The Justice Department has denied any wrongdoing, stating it is reviewing the files to ensure proper handling and claiming that any omissions are due to categories like duplicates, privileged records, or ongoing investigations.
The case centers on an accuser who alleged in a 2019 complaint that Epstein introduced her to Trump, who she claims sexually assaulted her when she was between 13 and 15 years old. Internal references in the released files describe these allegations, but detailed memos from follow-up interviews conducted by FBI agents in August and October 2019 are missing from the public database. NPR reported that only one summary, focused on Epstein rather than Trump, appears online, while over 50 pages of related notes and summaries are absent. Media outlets like *The New York Times* and MS NOW corroborated these findings.
Democrats argue that the missing records suggest a deliberate effort to withhold critical evidence, potentially undermining Trump's defense that the DOJ's release of Epstein files exonerates him. House Oversight Committee Chairman Robert Garcia confirmed through unredacted logs that the DOJ appears to have illegally withheld FBI interviews with the survivor. Democrats have vowed to open a parallel investigation and demand the missing records be provided to Congress. The Justice Department maintains that any omitted documents fall within legal categories such as victim privacy or ongoing investigations but has yet to explain why these specific records are missing.
The issue raises significant concerns about government transparency and accountability, particularly in cases involving high-ranking officials. Critics argue that the administration's handling of the files undermines public trust in law enforcement and justice systems. As the investigation continues, the implications for both Trump and the DOJ could be far-reaching, potentially affecting perceptions of their integrity and commitment to transparency.
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Originally published on France 24 on 2/26/2026