James Comer Claims DOJ Will Begin Providing Epstein Documents This Week

Republican Rep. James Comer, Chair of the House Oversight Committee, said on Monday that the body will begin receiving documents related to Jeffrey Epstein this week.

In a statement, Comer said the records will begin arriving on Friday, three days after the deadline he had imposed to receive them.

The lawmaker did not make reference to the delay but thanked the Trump administration for the development. "There are many records in DOJ's custody, and it will take the Department time to produce all the records and ensure the identification of victims and any child sexual abuse material are redacted," Comer added.

The Trump administration and many Republicans have been under scrutiny for their handling of the Epstein case since Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the Justice Department would not release further material into the investigation of the disgraced financier and child abuser.

By late July, the White House reportedly believed the storm was calming down, but was already plotting next steps to shape the narrative to their advantage.

The president's advisers have been clear that the storm has not yet passed fully, according to a report from late July by The Washington Post . In fact, polling from then showed the public largely disapproving of Trump's handling of the Epstein case.

"We're not just sitting on our hands," the senior White House official said. "There are things happening that are not public. Just because they're not public doesn't mean things aren't happening."

Experts on the matter have attributed the sudden calmness around the issue to an unusual suspect— a Wall Street Journal story published earlier this month that said Trump in 2003 sent an explicit birthday letter to the infamous sex offender. The story led to Trump's loyal fan base to rally behind him, united through their disdain for mainstream media and the Murdoch family. The Journal story also led to the president to call for enough action to at least temporarily satisfy his base, the official said.

But despite the White House's efforts, it is clear that the issue has not yet been completely forgotten by Trump's voters. A Washington Post poll this week found that only 43% of MAGA Republicans approved of Trump's handling of the case, with 17% disapproving and 39% unsure. Among voters overall, 58% disapproved of Trump's handling of the case, while 16% approved and 26% had no opinion.