In a fresh political firestorm, Democrats have accused the administration of US President Donald Trump of withholding key documents from the much-publicised “Epstein Files” release — including FBI interview records tied to a woman who alleged she was sexually abused as a minor.

According to an investigation by NPR, document indexes and serial numbers suggest that FBI agents conducted four interviews with the accuser in 2019 after she came forward following the arrest of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein on federal sex trafficking charges. However, only one summary appears in the publicly released database. More than 50 pages of related interview summaries and notes are reportedly missing.

The woman alleged that Epstein introduced her to Trump in the mid-1980s and that she was assaulted between the ages of 13 and 15. A 2025 FBI document recounts her claim but does not assess its credibility. Detailed follow-up interview memos from August and October 2019 are not included in the public release.

Democrats allege “largest cover-up”

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have called the omission “the largest government cover-up in modern history.” Representative Robert Garcia said he reviewed unredacted evidence logs and concluded that the Justice Department appears to have withheld FBI interviews related to the accuser.

The US Department of Justice denied wrongdoing, saying it is reviewing whether any files were “improperly tagged.” It added that documents temporarily removed for redactions or privacy protections would be restored if required under the transparency law passed last year mandating the release of Epstein-related records.

The department also rejected claims that files tied to Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell were deleted, stating that materials not posted may fall into legally protected categories, including duplicates, privileged records or documents tied to ongoing investigations.

Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, arguing that the release of the Epstein files exonerates him. The controversy now threatens to deepen partisan tensions as lawmakers demand the missing records and signal potential parallel investigations.