Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, has criticized the Justice Department for missing a deadline to release unclassified files related to Jeffrey Epstein. In an NPR interview, he emphasized the need for transparency regarding withheld documents that could implicate powerful figures. Khanna and his Republican co-author are pushing Congress to intervene.
The Justice Department failed to meet a legal deadline two weeks before January 2, 2026, to disclose the full set of unclassified files from the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender. This incomplete release has sparked bipartisan backlash and demands for accountability from the DOJ.
Speaking on NPR's Morning Edition with host Michel Martin, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., argued that the department should have begun preparing the voluminous files for release months earlier. The files stem from the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which Khanna co-authored with Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and which was signed into law by President Trump. The act aimed to promote openness about Epstein's network.
Khanna expressed greater worry over the DOJ's decision to withhold certain documents than the delay itself. "We want to see the survivors' statements to the FBI, where they name other rich and powerful men who abused them or who covered up the crimes. And we want to see the draft prosecution memos which explain why many, many men were involved in the cover-up and abuse," he stated.
The lawmakers, along with former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., held a news conference on November 18, 2025, at the U.S. Capitol as the House considered the transparency legislation. Khanna highlighted Congress's potential role in accelerating the process, underscoring the importance of full disclosure for public trust and justice for victims.
