U.S. Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member on the House Oversight Committee that voted to subpoena the Department of Justice for access to the Epstein files, responded with skepticism to the DOJ’s first delivery of materials.
On Friday, Garcia announced on social media: “We just received the first batch of the Epstein files from Trump’s Department of Justice. Our team is beginning a careful review process. We will share additional information as we learn more.”
We just received the first batch of the Epstein files from Trump’s Department of Justice. Our team is beginning a careful review process. We will share additional information as we learn more.
— Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) August 22, 2025
He added: “This initial batch from the Epstein files is 33,000 pages. Much of the material is already in the public record, but it will take some time to review the entire batch. Once again, DOJ could release all of the files today. What are they hiding?”
Most of the comments are pessimistic, including: “It will be so redacted all it will say ‘Trump had nothing to do with it.’ We will never get the truth about anything with this regime,” and “You got what DT’s DOJ wanted you to have.”
On MSNBC (below), Garcia said, “It appears that most of these files are already in the public domain. Bondi needs to release all the files immediately and we must remember that Trump’s Department of Justice cannot be trusted.”
We are in the process of reviewing 33,000 pages of Epstein documents. It appears that most of these files are already in the public domain. Bondi needs to release all the files immediately and we must remember that Trump’s Department of Justice cannot be trusted. pic.twitter.com/gFV3mVRAn1
— Congressman Robert Garcia (@RepRobertGarcia) August 23, 2025
Garcia also wants the Committee to subpoena Alex Acosta, Trump’s former Secretary of Labor, who as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida approved a plea deal that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to one state charge of solicitation, in exchange for a federal non-prosecution agreement in 2008.
After Epstein’s arrest in 2019 on sex trafficking charges, Acosta resigned from his cabinet position.
During a press conference in the Oval Office on Friday, a reporter asked President Trump if he’s in support of the DOJ sending the Epstein Files to the House Oversight Committee.
Reporter: The DOJ is sending the Epstein files to Oversight
Trump: You have a lot of people that could be mentioned in those files that don’t deserve to be because he knew everybody in Palm Beach. The whole Epstein thing is a democrat hoax pic.twitter.com/aD10BE24cI
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 22, 2025
Trump said: “I’m in support of keeping them totally open, I couldn’t care less. You got a lot of people that could be mentioned in those files that don’t deserve to be because he knew everybody in Palm Beach. I don’t know anything about that but I have said to Pam ‘give them everything you can’ because it’s a Democrat hoax.”
Note: In February, Bondi said the Epstein client list was sitting on her desk; in July, she said “no client list exists.”