On Feb. 6, the Department of Justice released three million pages of Jeffrey Epstein files. Yes, three million. 

This is the most voluminous release thus far, containing a wide array of pages, videos and photos, all detailing Epstein’s connection to several highly prominent figures, including Peter Mandelson, the U.K. Ambassador to the U.S., and current U.S. President Donald Trump. There are three specific reasons I believe this release has had such a far-reaching impact, different from past releases.

First, many of the new documents highlight the intimacy of Epstein’s friendships with several globally known elites— and they conveyed the effectiveness of Epstein’s world-class manipulation tactics. In the New York Times’ “The Daily” podcast, investigative reporter Debra Kamin further exemplifies this relationship, explaining how elites would send extensive, intimate details about their lives to Epstein – their failing marriages, their struggles in high-power positions – and Epstein would often reply in five words or less. In other instances, specifically when he needed something from them or when their relationship was failing, Epstein would send heartfelt messages indicating his appreciation for these elites. To private equity billionaire Leon Black, Epstein once wrote “Of course re any non financial issues, I am always there for you and will continue to be the best friend I can be.”

Jeffrey Epstein leveraged relationships whenever possible, and he kept everyone close to him. Oftentimes, as Kamin had suggested, Epstein rarely felt as close to other people as they did to him. The recent release highlights this fascinating finding, where Epstein used these tactics to extend his influence further. 

Second, it suggests the existence of a gap in the documentation. Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein had a close friendship from the 1980s to the early 2000s. The investigations began in 2005, after the friendship between the two had already ceased. In the latest release, Trump is depicted as “innocent,” where he is documented telling Michael Reiter, former Palm Beach police chief, “Thank goodness you’re stopping him, everyone has known he’s been doing this.” He called Epstein “disgusting” while also warning the officer about Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, calling her “evil.” After Trump cut off contact in 2004 due to a business-related falling out, he repeatedly stated that he was unaware of the crimes committed by Epstein at the time of their friendship.

By no means is this the only role Trump has had in the Epstein files. Trump was rumored to be named in the Epstein files more than Harry Potter was named in the Harry Potter series— and as a side note, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is mentioned in the files, as well. Trump’s part in Epstein’s life and the published files is clearly nuanced and multifaceted. But the unfortunate timing of the start of the investigation and the end of their friendship indicates that the details of their relationship— and therefore Trump’s role in Epstein’s criminal activities— might never be fully made clear to the public. Therefore, this release has shed light on the documents’ disappointing limitations, despite being so quantitatively massive. 

Lastly, the global nature of this release, particularly stretching to the U.K., indicates Epstein’s influence and criminal activity extends far beyond the realm of just political elites in Florida or New York. Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the U.K., has received severe backlash as a result of Peter Mandelson’s position in the Epstein files. This backlash is putting his role as prime minister in jeopardy as members of both Labour Party and opposition parties are urging him to resign. Only time will tell if this ruckus will translate to real-world changes, but the existence of this situation alone highlights just how interconnected systems of power are on an international scale. As files continue releasing, it will be interesting to see how new information about Epstein’s scandalous relationships with elite figures will persist in exposing these inner workings. 

There is something to be said about wealth and power when skimming through these files that say more about the current socio-political and economic system we currently exist under. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that if everyone in the files is prosecuted, “the whole system will collapse.” This begs the question: do we want to function under a system in which so many elites are involved in such disgusting criminal activity that our government would legitimately crumble if they were prosecuted? 

The answer should be simple: no.