Trump urges Americans to move on from Epstein files as scrutiny continues

President Donald Trump called on Americans to stop focusing on the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, arguing that the disclosures have produced nothing implicating him and that the country should turn its attention elsewhere.Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Feb. 3, Trump said the renewed attention surrounding Epstein’s extensive case files has become a distraction.

“I think it’s really time for the country to maybe get onto something else,” Trump said. “Now that nothing came out about me, other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally by Epstein and other people.”The comments came days after the Justice Department released roughly three million additional documents tied to investigations of the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. The release followed passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law requiring the government to disclose records related to Epstein’s activities while protecting sensitive victim information.

According to a review by The New York Times, Trump’s name, along with references to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, appears approximately 38,000 times across more than 5,300 files included in the Jan. 30 disclosure. Officials and analysts note that many of the documents appear to be duplicates or administrative records rather than evidence of wrongdoing.

The newly released files provide further insight into Epstein’s relationships with prominent figures across politics, business, and finance, including former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, and former Sen. George Mitchell of Maine. None of those individuals have been charged with crimes connected to Epstein.

The Justice Department has acknowledged withholding approximately 2.5 million additional documents, citing multiple reasons including the protection of victims’ privacy, depictions of child sexual abuse, ongoing federal investigations, and legally privileged communications such as attorney-client correspondence. That decision has drawn criticism from Epstein survivors and transparency advocates, who argue that the redactions limit accountability.

Mary Trump, the president’s niece and a longtime critic, publicly rejected Trump’s call to move on. In a post on X, she wrote, “We are NOT moving on from the Epstein files,” echoing concerns expressed by advocacy groups representing survivors of sexual abuse.

Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution and soliciting prostitution. Despite the conviction, he continued to associate with wealthy and powerful individuals for years. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges but died by suicide in a New York jail while awaiting trial.

The case formally concluded following Epstein’s death and the 2021 conviction of his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping recruit and abuse underage girls. Still, public interest in the case never fully subsided, driven by unanswered questions about Epstein’s network and the extent of his influence.

Throughout Trump’s second term, both Democrats and Republicans have criticized his administration’s handling of Epstein-related disclosures. Lawmakers from both parties have accused the Justice Department of releasing documents in heavily redacted batches and failing to fully comply with transparency requirements.

Trump has acknowledged knowing Epstein socially in the 1990s, when both were high-profile figures in New York and Palm Beach social circles. He has said he cut ties with Epstein long before the financier’s legal troubles escalated and has repeatedly denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes.

Despite Trump’s insistence that the matter should be put to rest, the Epstein files continue to fuel political debate, congressional scrutiny, and frustration among survivors seeking accountability. For critics, the documents represent unfinished business in one of the most disturbing criminal scandals in modern American history. For Trump, they are a closed chapter he says no longer deserves national attention.