Epstein Files Update: Trump's DOJ Faces New Watchdog Audit

The U.S. Department of Justice is facing an audit of its compliance with the law passed by Congress that required it to release the Epstein files.

In an announcement on Thursday, the DOJ’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) said it was initiating an audit to determine whether the Trump administration had complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The bill was passed in the fall, after the DOJ and FBI said no further documents would be released related to investigations into Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier accused of running a sex trafficking operation. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi was accused of avoiding transparency, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pushing for legislation mandating that Bondi make the files available.

The OIG said it would look into how the department honored that legislation, and whether it had addressed concerns raised by the documents’ release.

Newsweek reached out to the DOJ for comment via email on Thursday.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

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This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 12:44 PM.