After months of public outcry and pressure from within the Maga coalition, Donald Trump’s justice department released what it called The Epstein Files, with the Trump world’s typical fanfare. A media frenzy ensued. But the “files” that were released by Pam Bondi’s Department of Justice left many observers frustrated and confused. The release was partial and heavily redacted; much of the information had already been made public. Media figures were incensed, and members of Congress pledged to push the Trump administration for more. The episode left Washington watchers frustrated. It fueled speculation that Trump, who had long opposed the release of the documents, had something to hide.

That was on 27 February, when a group of 15 rightwing media figures who had taken a special interest in the Epstein case were summoned to the White House and given white binders labeled “The Epstein Files”. The release was meant to allay pressure from the president’s conspiracy-minded base and neutralize the Epstein issue, which has dogged Trump since the financier, sex offender and former close friend of the president died in prison during his first term in 2019. But those who received the binders said that there was little new information in them. The episode only further inflamed tensions and increased the salience of the Epstein issue.

Something similar seems to have happened on Friday, when the Trump administration, facing a deadline set by Congress to release the totality of the Epstein files, published about 13,000 of the reportedly hundreds of thousands of documents in their possession relating to Jeffrey Epstein and the various law enforcement investigations into his trafficking and sexual abuse of underage girls. Once again, the documents seemed to largely reflect information that had already been made public; they also appeared to be selectively redacted in ways tailored to preserve the president’s interests and disparage or embarrass his enemies. Once again, the highly partial release from the Trump administration raises questions much more readily than it supplies answers.

The partial release of the documents represents a political........

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