Newly released Epstein files name French President Emmanuel Macron among figures referenced in millions of disclosed documents.
Numerous emails within the files indicate that Macron, then serving as France’s finance minister under President François Hollande, conducted business linked to Epstein through Dubai-based port executive Sultan Bin Sulayem.
Separate correspondence from 2018 indicates Macron sought input from Epstein and other unnamed contacts on potential policy initiatives for France and Europe.
The documents also indicate Epstein played a role in facilitating introductions between U.S. business figures and individuals connected to the Macron administration outside formal diplomatic channels. The files do not allege criminal wrongdoing by Macron.
The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday made public more than three million pages of documents on Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender, including investigative records referencing Donald Trump, tech mogul Elon Musk and Britain’s former Duke of York, Prince Andrew.
The release, the largest of its kind to date, included investigative files, internal correspondence, court records, images and videos spanning more than a decade.
Justice Department officials said the disclosure followed an extensive review process and was designed to meet statutory requirements while protecting victims’ identities.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department had completed a “comprehensive document identification and review process” to ensure compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law by Trump.
The department had previously faced criticism for missing an initial December deadline.
Many of the documents contain unverified allegations, internal investigative summaries and third-party communications. The Justice Department warned that some materials included false or sensational claims that were submitted to law enforcement but were never substantiated.
The disclosures have already prompted political fallout in Europe. In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico accepted the resignation of national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak after photos and emails showed he met Epstein in the years after Epstein was released from jail. Lajcak has not been accused of wrongdoing and said the contacts were part of his diplomatic work.
In Britain, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Mountbatten-Windsor should tell U.S. investigators what he knows about Epstein’s activities. Prince Andrew has so far ignored a request from members of the U.S. House Oversight Committee for a transcribed interview about his long-standing friendship with Epstein.
Donald Trump is referenced hundreds of times in the released files, reflecting his past social association with Epstein.
Among the documents is an FBI summary of unverified tips received by its national hotline, including allegations involving Trump and other high-profile figures. The department said the claims were largely unsupported and, in many cases, deemed not credible.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has never been charged or accused by law enforcement. In a statement accompanying the release, the Justice Department said some allegations against Trump were submitted shortly before the 2020 election and were “unfounded and false”.
The files also include draft charging documents from the 2000s indicating that federal prosecutors once considered indicting Epstein alongside unnamed associates accused of facilitating the sexual exploitation of minors.
The individuals were never charged, and Epstein ultimately reached a plea agreement in Florida in 2008 that spared him from federal prosecution.
Trump said on Saturday that he had been told the newly released files clear him of wrongdoing.
“I didn’t see it myself but I was told by some very important people that not only does it absolve me, it’s the opposite of what people were hoping,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One as he travelled to Florida.
He also said he was considering legal action against author Michael Wolff and could also sue Epstein’s estate, alleging Wolff conspired with Epstein to harm him politically.
Emails released on Friday show Epstein's communications involving U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and technology entrepreneur Elon Musk regarding potential meetings or travel. There is no evidence in the documents that either man engaged in criminal activity, and neither has been accused of wrongdoing.
The materials also highlight Epstein’s connections in the United Kingdom. Emails appear to show correspondence between Epstein and Britain’s former Duke of York, Prince Andrew, as well as exchanges with Sarah Ferguson, the duke’s former wife.
Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has acknowledged his past association with Epstein.
Other records show Epstein providing financial assistance to individuals linked to former UK cabinet minister Lord Peter Mandelson and correspondence suggesting Mandelson sought accommodation at Epstein-owned properties.
Mandelson has also said he regrets his friendship with Epstein and denies any knowledge of his criminal activities.
The release includes records relating to Epstein’s detention and death in a New York jail in 2019, as well as investigative material connected to Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of child sex trafficking and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Despite the scale of the disclosure, questions remain over whether all relevant documents have been released.
Lawmakers who authored the transparency legislation said the department identified more than six million potentially responsive pages but disclosed roughly half after review and redactions.
Justice Department officials said redactions were limited to protecting victims and safeguarding ongoing investigations. Some members of Congress said they would continue to press for further disclosures.
The department has stated that the files do not contain a definitive list of Epstein’s alleged clients and that any individual found to have committed crimes would be prosecuted.
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