Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has called on the Trump administration to release all files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stating that the public deserves full transparency. DeSantis emphasized that Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell “didn’t just act alone” and questioned why no others have been brought to justice in connection with the high-profile sex trafficking case.
Speaking to Fox News on July 20, DeSantis said, “What I would say is just release it—let people see. I do think there’s a desire for justice because Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell didn’t just do this amongst themselves. There were obviously other people involved.”
The comments come amid renewed controversy following a report by The Wall Street Journal last week, which claimed President Donald Trump sent a lewd birthday letter to Epstein in 2003. Trump has denied the report and filed a lawsuit against the publication.
For years, calls for greater transparency around Epstein’s connections and alleged “client list” have come from across the political spectrum. Many Republicans, including Trump himself, have publicly questioned the official conclusion that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. The recent Justice Department report concluded there is no evidence of a “client list” and reaffirmed that Epstein took his own life—findings that have been widely criticized.
Governor DeSantis has a legislative record on this issue. Last year, he signed a Florida law that authorizes the public release of certain grand jury documents, including those related to a 2006 Florida investigation into Epstein’s abuse of underage girls. That investigation led to Epstein’s 2006 indictment on a felony charge of soliciting prostitution. He was released on bond the day after his arrest and later reached a controversial plea deal in 2008, pleading guilty to solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of a minor. He served 13 months in county jail with extensive work release privileges.
Now, as pressure grows over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case, President Trump has instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to prepare the release of grand jury testimony from the sex trafficking case—pending court approval.
Critics argue that transparency is essential for accountability in a case involving powerful individuals across industries and politics. With growing bipartisan interest, the issue of what remains hidden in the Epstein files is once again under the national spotlight.
