Federal Judge Rejects Trump Administration's Bid to Unseal Ghislaine Maxwell Grand Jury Records

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer rejected the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury testimony related to Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Jeffrey Epstein. The administration had sought to release transcripts from a grand jury investigation into Maxwell’s and Epstein’s crimes, portraying the move as part of a transparency effort.

Judge Engelmayer criticized this rationale, stating, “The administration’s entire premise that the Maxwell grand jury materials would bring to light meaningful new information about Epstein’s and Maxwell’s crimes, or the Government’s investigation into them is demonstrably false.” He added that the only potentially valid reason for unsealing the documents would be to expose as insincere the Government’s public explanations for seeking their release.

In his opinion, the judge suggested that the motion may have been intended as a “diversion aimed not at full disclosure but at the illusion of such.” He noted that the grand jury materials would not contribute substantive new information to public knowledge regarding the Epstein case.

This decision comes as a separate judge still considers a related request to release grand jury transcripts from a different Epstein proceeding. The rejection marks a significant rebuke to the administration’s approach in handling the release of Epstein-related documents and questions the sincerity of its transparency claims.

On August 4, 2023, U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer denied the Department of Justice's (DOJ) request to unseal grand jury testimony and exhibits related to Ghislaine Maxwell’s case in the Southern District of New York. The DOJ had sought the release of materials from cases involving Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that unsealing them was justified. However, Judge Engelmayer issued a detailed opinion rejecting this view, stating that release of the documents was "not a matter of historical or public interest" and declaring that the DOJ’s premise was false.

Engelmayer noted that much of the information the DOJ wished to unseal was already public, having been presented during Maxwell's 2021 trial, and consisted of "garden-variety summary testimony" by two law enforcement agents. He emphasized that the content was "almost entirely a matter of longstanding public record," primarily due to live testimony by witnesses at that trial.

The court received anonymous letters from several victims about the potential release. While many victims did not oppose unsealing in principle, they insisted on heavy redactions to protect their identities. Some victims expressed concern about being used for political purposes and a lack of respect from the administration.

On the preceding Friday, the DOJ had asked both judges handling the Maxwell and Epstein cases to delay any decision on unsealing grand jury materials until August 14, explaining that they had notified victims whose names appeared in transcripts and exhibits and needed time for notifications to be received.

The issue of releasing grand jury transcripts in both Maxwell's and Epstein's cases has been an ongoing dispute between the Justice Department and the courts. The DOJ filed its motion to unseal on July 18, following pressure from members of former President Donald Trump’s political base, Democrats, and the public for release of the "Epstein files." Judge Richard Berman, who is overseeing the Epstein case request, has yet to rule on that motion.

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in New York has denied a Justice Department request, made under the Trump administration, to unseal grand jury testimony and exhibits from the Ghislaine Maxwell case. The DOJ sought release of the materials as part of broader efforts to disclose grand jury evidence in matters related to Jeffrey Epstein.

In his opinion, Judge Engelmayer stated that the motion relied on a "false premise" and that the materials were not a matter of historical or significant public interest. He pointed out that much of the content consisted of routine summary testimony by two law enforcement agents, which was already largely public based on witness testimony at Maxwell's 2021 trial.

Several anonymous victims submitted letters to the court regarding the proposed release. While many did not oppose unsealing in principle, they emphasized the importance of redactions to protect their identities. Some expressed concern about being exploited for political purposes.

The DOJ had asked the courts handling the Maxwell and Epstein cases to delay any unsealing decisions until mid-August, allowing time to notify victims named in the materials. Despite these requests, Judge Engelmayer's ruling effectively ends the DOJ's current push to make the Maxwell grand jury records public. Meanwhile, Judge Richard Berman has yet to decide whether to release similar Epstein grand jury material.

Virginia Giuffre, a prominent survivor of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein and one of his most well-known Australian accusers, expressed a wish to have files related to her case and Epstein's crimes made public before her death, according to statements from her family. Giuffre, who passed away without leaving a will, had reportedly communicated to her siblings her desire for greater transparency regarding the details of Epstein's abuses and the associated legal documents. Following her death, her family has emphasized her request, calling for further information and files about the Epstein case to be released to the public. No further technical or procedural details about the specific documents in question or immediate government responses were provided in the statements referenced.

On July 22, 2025, the U.S. Justice Department reached out to Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein. This development was reported as part of live political news coverage, highlighting Maxwell's association with Epstein and the ongoing investigations surrounding his case. The interaction indicates continued official scrutiny and legal proceedings connected to Epstein's criminal activities. Specific details on the nature of the Justice Department's outreach or subsequent actions were not disclosed in the report.

The U.S. Department of Justice has requested a new interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, as part of the ongoing Epstein case. President Donald Trump has responded to this request, though specific details of his response or the timing of the request were not specified in the coverage. This development is part of broader legal proceedings related to Epstein's activities. Additionally, separate political news includes the U.S. decision to withdraw from UNESCO, but no further details were provided in this update.

Several victims of Jeffrey Epstein have expressed anguish and frustration over the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein case, feeling that their suffering is being ignored amid political controversies. In recent interviews with NBC News, four Epstein survivors, including Danielle Bensky who was abused two decades ago, said the administration should be exposing others involved rather than impeding future prosecutions. Victims feel their efforts to seek justice are being erased, especially following U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's announcement that no evidence existed of a client list implicating powerful men and her statement that no further prosecutions would be pursued related to Epstein's sex trafficking charges. This announcement came despite Epstein's 2019 jailhouse suicide while awaiting trial.

The controversy intensified as President Donald Trump distanced himself from conspiracy theories about Epstein's ties to a so-called deep state sex trafficking network, even as his supporters fueled such claims. Trump also ordered the release of grand jury transcripts and other documents concerning the case. Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Trump had written a provocative birthday letter to Epstein more than twenty years ago, which Trump denies.

Victims like Bensky stated their sadness over the seeming closure of investigations without acknowledgment of their experiences. The administration's response, including Bondi's brief memo denying a client list and ending investigations, has been seen as dismissive by the survivors. They urge transparency and accountability for rich and powerful abusers connected to Epstein's crimes.