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With the election of Donald Trump last November, the Epstein files have gained a notable resurgence in media and news. This is to be expected, as President Donald Trump had a very prominent relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump’s connection to Epstein has created turmoil among Republicans and Democrats alike, with many calling for an immediate release of the files, an issue that has drawn attention even amongst Loyola students.

“It’s been too long,” says Wesley Schellinger ‘27, when asked his thoughts on the Epstein files.

The investigation of Jeffrey Epstein began in March of 2004 after the mother of a 14-year-old reported that her daughter had been abused by Epstein. This report would further lead to an investigation of Epstein and his Palm Beach mansion. As more and more victims began to speak out against Epstein, he would eventually plead guilty to two state charges, resulting in an 18-month prison sentence.

This earlier conviction of Epstein sparked controversy as he only served 13 months, along with the non-prosecution agreement that helped Epstein receive such a minimal punishment. In 2018, the case was revisited after an article published by the Miami Herald sparked renewed interest in Epstein and his connections to political figures. This ultimately led to Epstein being charged with counts of sex trafficking of minors, though these charges were never tried, as Epstein would end up dead by alleged suicide in 2019, which many believed to be staged.

This suspicion stems from the particular circumstances of Epstein’s case, including his connections to numerous powerful political figures.

With President Trump’s recent election, many of his pre-election campaign promises have been brought into the spotlight. In 2024, during an interview with Lex Friedman, Trump stated that he would have “no problem” releasing the Epstein files. Contrary to this claim, Trump has been having a hard time releasing the Epstein files, and when confronted about it, he has pushed back hard, claiming that the Epstein files are a “hoax” and that they are “made up” by leftist political rivals.

Trump’s actions have created doubt among some Loyola students. Jaxon Guttentag ’26 remarked, “If they were to be released, it would not be under Trump.”

Trump is not the only one who has been put under scrutiny. Attorney General Pam Bondi has come under fire recently after making superficial statements about the Epstein files, promising that Americans “will get the full Epstein files.” Despite these promises, Bondi released minimal information that was already publicly available. This sparked outrage among many, prompting the question: will the Epstein files ever be fully released?

With the empty promises made by the Trump administration over the last few months, along with their lackluster actions to provide information, it is unlikely that we will ever see the entirety of the Epstein lists. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has only made matters worse by raising suspicion, as they have recently denied that a client list ever existed.

This statement does not come as a surprise, as the DOJ and the Trump Administration have completely changed their position on the topic of the Epstein files, as they have begun rejecting questions and disregarding the subject as a whole, implying that it is a left-wing conspiracy.

Many Loyola students are doubtful that the files will be released.

“Honestly, if they were ever going to be released, they would have been released a long time ago,” says Schellinger when asked if he thinks the Epstein files will ever be released. The common doubt that has been expressed among Loyola students highlights the DOJ’s lack of transparency, along with the Trump administration’s poor handling of the Epstein files.

Other students expressed confusion: “I honestly have no idea whether or not they will be released,” says Zachary Habash ‘26.

Given the current state of the situation, it is likely that we may never see the entirety of the Epstein list, or even a list at all. Highlighted by Trump’s sardonic aversion to accountability and lack of adherence to campaign promises, figuring out who’s actually on the Epstein List will continue to remain in our hopes and dreams.