The Justice Department is facing accusations of withholding documents related to an allegation that President Donald Trump sexually assaulted a minor in the 1980s, according to reports from NPR and multiple congressional Democrats. The claims center on a woman who, authorities were told, was 13 years traditional at the time of the alleged assault, approximately 40 years ago.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee allege the Justice Department illegally withheld FBI records pertaining to the allegation, which was initially made in 2019. Committee members say they discovered discrepancies between the public database of Epstein files and internal evidence manifests, indicating missing documents that mention Trump and the alleged abuse. “Covering up direct evidence of a potential assault by the President of the United States is the most serious possible crime in this White House cover up,” the House Democrats stated.
An NPR investigation identified more than 50 pages of FBI interview records and notes related to the woman’s claim that are not publicly available in the Epstein files database. These records include details of the woman’s accusation that Trump sexually abused her in the early 1980s, whereas she was also allegedly being victimized by Jeffrey Epstein. NPR’s investigation found evidence that the Justice Department cataloged these files but did not share them publicly.
The Justice Department has responded to the accusations by stating that no documents have been improperly withheld or deleted. According to a statement, any temporarily removed files are for redaction purposes – either to protect victims or to remove Personally Identifiable Information – and are promptly restored to the public database.
The controversy arises following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated the release of millions of documents related to the Epstein case. Democrats argue that the withheld allegation should have been included in those released documents. The House Oversight Committee has launched a formal investigation into the matter, seeking to determine whether the Justice Department complied with the transparency law.
The New York Times reported that documents released by the Justice Department briefly mention the woman’s unverified accusation against Trump. However, several memos related to the allegation appear to be missing from the publicly available files.
As of February 26, 2026, the Justice Department has not responded to specific questions from NPR regarding the missing files, their contents, and the reasons for their non-publication. The House Oversight Committee’s investigation is ongoing.
