NPR Uncovers Dozens of Epstein Files Withheld by Justice Department

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Highlights in Today’s News

Details on Epstein Files and Trump Allegations: A significant release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein has surfaced; however, NPR’s scrutiny highlights a notable omission. The Justice Department has either removed or not disclosed several pages concerning allegations against President Trump, accused of sexual misconduct with a minor in the early 1980s. The Department has abstained from commenting on the content or the absence of these files. For more, check the detailed report.

🎧 Insights from NPR’s Stephen Fowler: An analysis of the files reveals an FBI email from last July, listing various claims and tips involving Trump. One significant report accuses Trump of abusing a minor in 1983, coinciding with alleged abuse by Epstein. An investigation was launched, with the FBI conducting four interviews with the accuser, yet only one interview was released, omitting any mention of Trump. The Justice Department withheld at least 50 pages, as per its tracking system. Both the White House and Trump administration consistently assert no incriminating evidence exists in the files.

Impact of El Mencho’s Death in Mexico: The death of El Mencho, Mexico’s most influential drug lord, triggered chaos which is now subsiding as cities begin returning to normalcy. Businesses are reopening and schools in Jalisco are set to resume. The broader implications on Mexico’s organized crime battle remain uncertain.

🎧 NPR’s Eyder Peralta reports from Guadalajara: The atmosphere in Jalisco’s capital resembles the COVID lockdown, with empty streets and charred vehicles marking the aftermath of recent violence. President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasizes addressing root causes such as education and employment rather than sparking a new war against organized crime. Meanwhile, Trump is urging Mexico for a more direct confrontation with the cartels, threatening unilateral military action.

Trump’s Upcoming State of the Union Address: President Trump will address Congress for his second term’s first State of the Union. This prime-time event offers him a platform to highlight his agenda and influence his party’s message ahead of the midterm elections. The speech is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET. For more insights, click here.

Federal Lawsuit Accuses Agents of Retaliation: A new class action lawsuit claims federal agents retaliate against observers recording immigration enforcement. Filed by Protect Democracy and law firms Dunn Isaacson Rhee and Drummond Woodsum, the suit alleges federal agents are labeling observers as “domestic terrorists” and adding them to a “watchlist.” The Department of Homeland Security denies maintaining a domestic terrorist database and insists on adhering to constitutional law enforcement procedures. More information is available here.

Watch this

Newsom in conversation with NPR host Ailsa Chang. Bronson Arcuri/NPR

NPR continues to bring expert voices and in-depth interviews on significant topics. Engage with these stories through the NPR App and NPR.org.

California Governor Gavin Newsom is spending his last year in office traveling across the U.S. to mobilize voters for the midterm elections. Although he hasn’t dismissed a potential 2028 presidential run, Newsom frequently challenges Trump and critiques his confrontational style on social media. “I’m putting a mirror up to President Trump and I’m fighting fire with fire and I am punching a bully back in the mouth,” he tells NPR. Additionally, Newsom has been engaging with notable right-wing figures, which has drawn criticism from within his party. His recent conversation with All Things Considered ahead of his memoir release, Young Man in a Hurry, touches on his dyslexia, his approach to Trump, and how the Democratic Party should seize this political moment.

Delve deeper into Newsom’s discussion with NPR’s Ailsa Chang or view the interview. The conversation is also accessible on NPR’s YouTube page, Consider This, and the NPR App.

Behind the story

Local residents inspect damaged cars at the site of a Russian attack in Odesa on Feb. 13, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Oleksandr Gimanov/AFP via Getty Images

Four years ago, Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. NPR’s Ukraine correspondent Joanna Kakissis and Russia correspondent Charles Maynes share their experiences covering the war and its impact on residents.

Since the onset, NPR has chronicled the extensive human toll, missing children, and the war’s transformative impact on modern warfare and geopolitics. An ongoing conflict anticipated by both the Kremlin and the West to end swiftly has now extended to four years, with heavy casualties on both sides, as reported by British and U.S. sources.

Ukrainians remain weary, adapting to constant attacks and the emotional toll of defending their nation. Many, like Olha Chupikova from Kherson, contend, “We have paid too high a price to give up,” even as personal losses mount. Former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolayenko expresses skepticism about the efficacy of Trump-sponsored peace talks, lamenting, “We used to see America as a defender of democracy. Now they chose [Russian President Vladimir] Putin as their friend.”

Despite diplomatic efforts, Putin remains unmoved, rejecting Western terms for peace. Sanctions strain Russia’s economy, with repression extending beyond political opposition into cultural and digital realms. Yet, amid an unresolved conflict, the state’s quest for control seems unending.

3 things to know before you go

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: John Davidson attends the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall on February 22, 2026 in London, England. Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images/Getty Images Europe

1. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTAs) issued an apology for a delayed broadcast that inadvertently aired a racial slur uttered by an individual with Tourette syndrome.
2. Researchers have identified a new Spinosaurus dinosaur species, marked by its large size and horned appearance, dating back to the Jurassic period over 140 million years ago. This discovery is the first of its kind in more than a century, as detailed in the scientific report.
3. As the Ukraine conflict extends into its fifth year, wartime blackouts in Kyiv leave candles as the last resort, a situation captured in NPR’s Far-Flung Postcards. Read more about the situation here.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.