The Justice Department is embroiled in a new controversy after court records revealed that handwritten investigative materials tied to allegations against Donald Trump were withheld and replaced with a carefully sanitized version released to the public.
According to a court filing submitted earlier this month, the DOJ admitted that it did not release an unknown number of handwritten documents contained in the government’s Jeffrey Epstein case files.
The admission came in response to a lawsuit filed by independent journalist Katie Phang, who accused the department of violating the Epstein Files Transparency Act by keeping records hidden and maintaining excessive redactions.
Phang’s lawsuit asked the court to force the DOJ to release documents that had been withheld, explain remaining redactions, and restore records that were allegedly removed after publication.
But the government’s response raised new questions: among the materials kept from the public were handwritten notes that investigators relied on during the original Epstein investigation.
And according to reporting on the files, some of those handwritten records contained details that did not appear in the typed versions later released by the government.
Handwritten records contained more details about a minor’s allegations against Trump
The Epstein investigation was built on a paper trail of handwritten notes, witness interviews, and internal records.
Those materials included investigators’ notes from interviews with alleged victims and witnesses during the 2006 Palm Beach investigation.
According to documents obtained by the Post and Courier, handwritten investigative notes included allegations from a woman who claimed Trump trafficked her across state lines to him multiple times when she was a minor.
Those handwritten notes have not been released publicly.
Instead, the DOJ released a typed interview summary, a version that attorneys say leave out details contained in the original handwritten material.
The discrepancy directly challenges the DOJ’s argument that the withheld documents were merely duplicates of records already made public.
If the handwritten notes contained no additional information, critics argue, there would be little reason for the government to keep them hidden.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision, arguing that releasing handwritten interview notes could create unnecessary privacy risks for Epstein survivors.
“The Department has not produced underlying handwritten notes for FD-302 interview reports because, by their nature, the underlying notes are substantially similar to the ultimate reports,” the DOJ filing stated.
The department also argued that handwritten documents are more difficult to redact and could increase the risk of accidentally revealing victims’ personal information.
But critics say that explanation does not address the central issue: whether the handwritten materials contained information that was removed from the official typed reports.
Epstein’s handwritten records allegedly tracked his trafficking operation
The missing documents reportedly extend beyond witness interviews.
Former Epstein survivor Marina Lacerda said investigators found her after discovering a handwritten note containing her name among Epstein’s discarded materials.
She said Epstein maintained records tracking payments and expenses connected to the girls he trafficked, including cash payments, rent assistance, and medical expenses.
“He did write checks and stuff — he did write also in a book,” Lacerda said.
A prosecution memorandum reportedly confirmed that investigators recovered handwritten records documenting Epstein’s trafficking expenses — but those records have not been released.
DOJ already faced scrutiny over Trump-related omissions
The controversy comes after previous reports that Trump-related information was excluded from earlier releases of Epstein-related documents.
According to reports, FBI agents were instructed to redact references to Trump before portions of the files were made public.
The DOJ also initially failed to include an interview involving the woman who accused Trump of trafficking her as a minor. After journalists uncovered the omission, the department released a version of the interview — but questions remained over why the handwritten investigative notes were still missing.
The latest court filing has intensified accusations that the department has handled Trump-related Epstein records differently from other materials.
Blanche, who previously represented Trump as his personal attorney, is now facing questions over his role in overseeing the release of the files.
The controversy comes just days before Blanche’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers are expected to question his handling of the Epstein Files.
Critics in Congress have accused the Justice Department of failing to provide a complete and transparent release.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse argued that serious allegations connected to Trump were not properly disclosed.
“Serious, credible allegations against Trump were withheld,” Whitehouse wrote. “After stellar reporting by journalists discovered DOJ’s omissions, DOJ released some of the files about the Trump allegations. But even now, files are still being held back.”
The dispute now centers on a key question: Were the withheld handwritten documents simply duplicates, or did they contain information the public was never supposed to see?
