A CNN/SSRS poll finds only 6% of Americans satisfied with the Trump administration’s disclosure of Jeffrey Epstein files; 49% are dissatisfied and about two-thirds suspect officials are withholding information. The Justice Department says it has released less than 1% of the records and added roughly 80 attorneys to review documents. Partisan divides are sharp: Democrats are most suspicious, while many Republicans have become more likely to say it doesn’t matter or they haven’t heard enough.
New Poll Finds Widespread Doubt Over Trump Administration’s Release Of Epstein Files
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The Trump administration’s handling of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein is drawing sharp public skepticism, a new CNN/SSRS poll finds. Many Americans now suspect officials are withholding material that should be made public.
What the Poll Found
Just 6% of respondents said they were satisfied with how much the federal government has disclosed from the Epstein files, while 49% said they were dissatisfied. Roughly two-thirds of Americans believe the government is intentionally withholding information that should be released; only 16% think officials are trying to disclose everything possible.
Trump, Melania, Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000. / Davidoff Studios/Getty Images
“Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy’s been talked about for years,” President Donald Trump told reporters in July, expressing frustration with the renewed focus on the saga.
Justice Department Response
The poll was conducted after Congress set a Dec. 19 deadline for the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files. In early January the department said it had released less than 1% of the materials and reported that roughly 80 additional attorneys from the Criminal Division were assisting prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to review the records.
Partisan Patterns
Skepticism about the government’s transparency cuts across party lines but is most intense among Democrats: nearly nine in 10 Democrats say information is being withheld, along with 72% of independents and 42% of Republicans. Just 12% of Republicans say they’re satisfied with released information, compared with 3% of Democrats and 3% of independents.
Attorney General Pam Bondi infuriated the president’s MAGA base in July when she announced that no Epstein “client list” existed and the DOJ would release no further files. / Ken Cedeno/Reuters
The survey also finds shifting partisan attitudes since last summer: Republican dissatisfaction with disclosure fell to 21% from 40%, while the share of Democrats who are dissatisfied rose to 71% from 56%. Independents are largely steady, with about 54% saying they are dissatisfied.
Why It Matters
The results underscore continued public concern about transparency and accountability around a high-profile criminal case that has spanned multiple administrations. With political tension high ahead of the midterms, the poll suggests the Epstein files remain a potent issue shaping public trust in government disclosures.
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