DOJ Leaks Sealed Trump Report and Defies Epstein File Order

The United States Department of Justice inadvertently disclosed a sealed Volume II report authored by former special counsel Jack Smith to defense attorneys for Carmen Mercedes Lineberger. On June 3, 2026, the agency provided electronic discovery materials on flash drives that contained three embedded copies of the report, which details the alleged mishandling of classified documents by Donald Trump. Lineberger's counsel notified the government of the error on June 9 and cooperated to recover the materials. The DOJ subsequently informed Judge Aileen Cannon of the breach in a joint filing.

Simultaneously, the agency failed to meet a July 2, 2026, deadline set by Judge Emmet Sullivan to release unredacted documents from the Jeffrey Epstein files. This order followed a lawsuit by journalist Katie Phang, who alleged the government violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act by withholding FBI interview notes and names of associates related to allegations against Donald Trump. Rather than complying, the agency filed an appeal to block the disclosure of emails and a 2007 draft indictment.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former personal defense attorney for Donald Trump, currently oversees both the decisions regarding the sealed report and the appeal of the Epstein files. Blanche faces increasing pressure from Congress to comply with the law as he awaits his Senate confirmation hearings.