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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back Wednesday against claims that the Justice Department has closed the book on Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, insisting prosecutors remain prepared to pursue anyone who can be criminally linked to the late financier’s sex-trafficking operation if new evidence emerges.
“There are no closed investigations,” he said. “If we learn today, if we learn next week, if we learn next month that there’s an individual that we can investigate, indict and prosecute out of the Epstein files, you better believe it, we will.”
Blanche’s comments came during his Senate confirmation hearing amid continued scrutiny of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files.
The Justice Department, then led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, and the FBI concluded a review in July 2025 that found no evidence of a so-called “client list” belonging to Epstein and no basis for further public disclosures. The findings sparked renewed calls — including from some of President Donald Trump’s supporters — for the full release of the remaining Epstein files, a process Blanche later oversaw and defended amid mounting criticism.
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Blanche drew a distinction between the department’s completed review of the existing Epstein files and its authority to pursue new criminal cases. While the prosecutions of Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019, and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell have concluded, Blanche said the Justice Department remains willing to investigate and prosecute any additional individuals if credible evidence warrants it.
He also rejected suggestions that the department has neglected Epstein’s victims, saying DOJ officials have met with representatives of more than 30 victims since the review began and would continue speaking with anyone who comes forward.
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“We will never not talk to victims,” Blanche said. “We will never not do everything we can to prosecute anybody that committed any crimes against any of these women.”
He encouraged any victims or their attorneys with additional information to contact the FBI, reiterating that the department would “100%” investigate any new evidence that could support criminal charges.
Later in the hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., pressed Blanche to apologize directly to Epstein’s victims for the Justice Department’s handling of the file release after roughly 1% of released documents required corrected redactions.
“Any mistake that we made should not have been made,” Blanche said. “Yes, I am sorry that in about 1% of the documents mistakes were made.”
He added that DOJ immediately pulled affected documents, corrected the errors and dedicated around-the-clock attorneys to issue redactions.
Blumenthal also urged Blanche to personally meet with Epstein survivors. Blanche responded that he had “never said I can’t meet with them,” adding that if victims are represented by counsel, meetings would be coordinated through their attorneys.
“Of course, I can meet with them,” Blanche said. “I’m the acting attorney general of the United States.”
The Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files was also top of mind for Republican senators as Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., asked Blanche whether additional people identified in the Epstein files could face charges.
Blanche said prosecutors reviewing the evidence had not identified evidence that other men participated in Epstein’s trafficking operation, while stressing that “that does not mean it didn’t happen.”
“If there’s anybody out there, victim or otherwise, that has information, I beg them to come forward,” Blanche said.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., also questioned Blanche about his interview with Ghislaine Maxwell in July 2025, asking whether it had led to any additional criminal charges. Blanche replied that it had not.
Blanche declined to say whether the interview led to any new investigations, saying the Justice Department does not comment on the existence of investigations.
Booker further pressed Blanche about his interview with Maxwell, asking whether he or anyone else at DOJ had discussed the possibility of a presidential pardon, clemency or Maxwell’s later transfer to a minimum-security prison camp. Blanche denied that any of those topics were discussed with Maxwell or her attorneys.
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