By Trendsetter Tribune 
California Governor Gavin Newsom sharply criticized the Trump administration on Monday, posting a digitally altered video of President Donald Trump to highlight the federal government’s failures to release the full Jeffrey Epstein files. The move underscores growing frustration with a White House and Department of Justice (DOJ) seemingly more interested in political theater than accountability.
In the clip, Newsom superimposed archival footage of Trump with Epstein at Mar‑a‑Lago in 1992 over real footage of Trump inspecting the construction of a $400 million White House ballroom. Newsom captioned the post: “PAM BONDI, RELEASE THE FILES!”, directly calling out Attorney General Bondi and the administration’s repeated delays.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act Ignored
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed by Trump late last year, required the DOJ to release all unclassified files on Epstein by December 19, 2025. Instead, the DOJ has published a tiny fraction of the documents, heavily redacted, leaving over 99% of the files unpublished.
Critics argue that the Trump administration’s stalling is not an issue of volume or victim privacy — as officials claim — but a calculated delay to protect politically connected figures, including Trump himself. The selective release raises serious questions about the administration’s commitment to law, justice, and public accountability.
Bipartisan Concern
Even some Republican lawmakers have expressed frustration. Representatives Ro Khanna (D‑CA) and Thomas Massie (R‑KY) have called out the DOJ’s inaction and threatened judicial enforcement to compel compliance. Meanwhile, Democrats accuse Trump of weaponizing government resources to distract from scandals while maintaining secrecy over potentially damning evidence.
PAM BONDI, RELEASE THE FILES! pic.twitter.com/QU91h23E7x
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) January 11, 2026
A Pattern of Deflection
The Epstein files controversy comes amid a series of high-profile Trump administration distractions, including a military operation against Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, threats to invade Greenland, and a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Observers say these moves are designed to shift public attention away from Trump’s personal ties to Epstein and the administration’s ongoing lack of transparency.
Why This Matters
Epstein’s crimes — involving the trafficking of minors and a network of elite associates — demand full disclosure, yet the administration appears to be obstructing public oversight. Newsom’s digitally edited clip is both satire and political protest, illustrating the deep dissatisfaction among Americans and lawmakers who demand that the DOJ comply with the law.
The Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files has exposed a pattern of secrecy, delay, and possible self-protection, raising urgent questions about its willingness to uphold accountability, even when the public interest is at stake.