As explained previously, Biden lacked the unilateral authority to release the Epstein files due to grand jury secrecy laws (e.g., Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e)), victim privacy concerns, and ongoing legal proceedings, such as Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal. These constraints meant that the files remained sealed during his presidency (2021–2025), despite public pressure for transparency. The DOJ, under Biden, did not aggressively pursue court approval to unseal additional documents beyond the January 2024 court-ordered release of nearly 1,000 pages from a defamation lawsuit.