When asked about the trove of documents from the Epstein Estate released by the House Oversight Committee this morning, Leavitt says the emails included in the release prove "absolutely nothing other than the fact that President Trump did nothing wrong".

She repeats a point the White House has mentioned before, saying that the president and Epstein knew each other in Palm Beach, but that Trump kicked the financier out of his Mar-a-Lago club because he was a "paedophile and he was a creep".

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Getty Images

Echoing her statement earlier this morning, Leavitt attacks Democrats - accusing them of launching a "distraction campaign" to divert media attention away from shutdown news.

"There are no coincidences in Washington DC, and is is not a coincidence that the Democrats leaked these emails to the fake news this morning," she says.

Moments later, a reporter says she has a shutdown question.

"I'm glad somebody does," she added.

Leavitt accuses the Democrats of creating a "manufactured hoax" by releasing some of the Epstein documents this morning ahead of the House returning.

She says it was "not a coincidence" that they had been released on Wednesday.

The press secretary claims Democrats did not care about the Epstein files while President Joe Biden was in office, and instead: "They care about trying to score political points against President Trump."

She adds that the administration is committed to transparency on the issue.

Image source, Getty Images

Leavitt is now questioned about these newly-released Epstein documents, and is asked why all the files in the government's possession on Epstein have not been released.

Leavitt says they have done more for transparency than any other administration.

"We are cooperating and showing support for the House Oversight Committee," she says. "That's part of the reason why you are seeing these documents that were released today."

The first question comes from a GB News reporter, who asks about Trump's legal threats against the BBC, and how it would impact the president's relationship with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

• For context: Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for damages up to $1bn (£760m), claiming the organisation made "false, defamatory, disparaging and inflammatory statements" about him in a documentary

Leavitt says Trump has a good relationship with Starmer, but says the BBC is a "leftist propaganda machine".

It's "unfortunate" the corporation is subsidised by UK taxpayers, she says.

She added that Trump's external legal counsel has filed a lawsuit, which they expect to continue: "And whether they apologise or not is up to them."

• You can read more about this story here: Why is Donald Trump threatening to sue the BBC?

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

There's been so far very little mention of the Epstein document release.

The White House has so far been dismissive of today's release, and that is clearly reflected in Karoline Leavitt - and Kash Patel's - opening remarks, which have focused on the shutdown, an event focused on foster care tomorrow, affordability, and, in Patel's case, fentanyl trafficking.

In a statement earlier, Leavitt accused Democrats of "selectively" leaking emails to media to create a "fake narrative to smear Donald Trump."

It's likely that when asked, we'll hear a similar response in this briefing.

Image source, Reuters

Today's White House briefing begins, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and FBI Director Kash Patel present - you can watch live at the top of the page.

Patel is now giving an announcement on the administration's efforts to reduce the flow of fentanyl.

We're listening for lines relating to the Epstein file release, and will bring you them if and when we have them.

Alex Partridge
Politics reporter

Lord Peter Mandelson had contact with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein as late as 2016, according to documents released by the US House of Representatives Oversight Committee.

The latest previous reported contact between the two was when the then-business secretary took advice from Epstein in a banking deal in March 2010, just months after his release from prison for child sex offences, as reported by the Daily Telegraph.

The documents contain an email from Epstein to Lord Mandelson on 6 November 2016 saying "63 years old. You made it".

Lord Mandelson’s birthday was a week and a half beforehand.

Lord Mandelson replies less than 90 minutes later saying: "Just. I have decided to extend my life by spending more of it in the US" before Epstein replies "in the Donald White House" referring to the US presidential election due later that week.

Epstein goes on to say "you were right about staying away from Andrew. I was right in your staying with Rinaldo [sic]", a reference to Lord Mandelson’s now husband Reinaldo Avilda da Silva.

When approached by the BBC, Lord Mandelson declined to comment.

We are expecting to hear from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shortly, as she delivers her daily press briefing.

The latest release of documents is likely to come up - we'll update you with what she says in this page.

It has been a whirlwind afternoon, starting with the release of three emails and escalating to a flood of more than 23,000 pages of documents.

Here's a recap of events so far:

• Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee release three email exchanges between Epstein, and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and writer Michael Wolff. The exchanges name Trump, calling him "the dog that hasn't barked" and alleging he "spent hours" at Epstein's house with a victim
• The White House says the email exchanges create a "fake narrative". Trump has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein
• The White House adds that the victim referenced in the emails is Virginia Giuffre, "who repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever"
• Shortly afterwards, thousands more pages of documents are released - this time by the wider Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee. There are more than 23,000 pages in total - many published with little context. We are still unpicking these and will share our findings
• Now the clock is relentlessly ticking towards a House of Representatives vote on ordering a full release of the remaining Epstein files, writes our North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher

New document release doesn't have Virginia's name redactedpublished at 17:50 GMT 12 November 2025

17:50 GMT 12 November 2025

By Wesley Stephenson and Tom Edgington

New Epstein emails, which contain references to President Donald Trump, were first released by the US House Democrats this morning.

One email, from Epstein to Maxwell in April 2011, claims Trump spent hours with a victim. It reads:

"I want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is trump.. [Victim] spent hours at my house with him."

The victim’s name was fully redacted in the email.

Shortly afterwards, the White House put out a statement saying the “unnamed victim” was Virginia Giuffre who "repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever".

Since that statement, BBC Verify has been combing through the documents released by the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee. It has found the same email - in a file named HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_031326.txt.

However, unlike the fully redacted one put out by the US House Democrats, a name does appear:

"i want you to realize that that dog that hasn't barked is trump.. virignia spent hours at my house with him ,,"

Asked why the name was originally redacted, Representative Robert Garcia - the leading Democrat on the US House Oversight Committee - said the party will never release names of victims in line with the wishes of the families.

The Epstein Estate confirms it handed over 2,900 documents - comprised of 23,124 pages - to the House Oversight Committee yesterday.

A spokesman says: "On behalf of the Epstein Estate, we confirm that the Estate produced these documents yesterday in its continuing compliance with the subpoena issued in late August by the House Oversight Committee."

Epstein continues to dominate US politicspublished at 17:21 GMT 12 November 2025

17:21 GMT 12 November 2025

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

The White House says that the Epstein emails were “selectively leaked” by Democrats to create a “false narrative”.

Democrats say they raise further questions about the president’s alleged ties to Epstein. Republicans have now released 20,000 pages of new emails and other documents from the Epstein estate.

This is how the Epstein drama has moved in recent months – lulls punctuated by flurries of activity that dominate news headlines and suggest there’s more to the story than is currently known.

These revelations will probably come as an unwanted distraction for Trump, as he pushes to address public concerns over the economy and the high cost of living in America.

Democrats are likely to welcome an Epstein twist that shifts focus away from rifts within the party over its handling of a government shutdown endgame that some view as an unforced backdown.

And all the while, the clock is now relentlessly ticking toward a House of Representatives vote on ordering a full release of all remaining Epstein files that could take place as early as December.

Another email exchange between Wolff and Epstein appears to show the journalist asking for suggestions for interview questions to pose to Trump.

As a reminder, Wolff has previously said he spoke to Epstein at length about Trump while writing books on his presidency.

"I'm interviewing him this afternoon," Wolff writes. "Anything you think I should ask?"

"do you want to be provocative?" Epstein asks. He writes a long list that includes "trump shuttle" (Trump's defunct airline) and "hawaiin tropic contests" (a reference to a beauty pageant), among others.

The BBC has approached Wolff for comment.

We're still unpicking the 20,000 pages worth of documents from Epstein's estate, which were released by the House Oversight Committee not long ago.

While some are seemingly straightforward correspondence between Epstein and his associates, countless documents released are accompanied by very little context.

There are also pages of scanned documents from magazine articles and various books - as well as screenshots from internet searches for Epstein's name, highlighting the results.

In the newly released emails from the House Oversight Committee there is further correspondence between Epstein and author Michael Wolff.

Wolff has previously said he spoke to Epstein at length about Trump while writing books on his presidency. The BBC has approached him for comment.

In an email from October 2016, Wolff offers Epstein the chance to do an interview that could "finish" Trump.

"There's an opportunity to come forward this week and talk about Trump in such a way that could garner you great sympathy and help finish him. Interested?", it reads.

The email, dated 29 October 2016, was sent just days before the 2016 presidential election that Trump went on to win.

We are trawling through the 20,000 pages of documents released by the House Oversight Committee - which contains a mixture of emails, articles and documents.

One email dates from March 2011, and is a request from BBC Radio 4's Today programme to Jeffrey Epstein's attorney Jack Goldberger for an interview with Epstein about "stories which are circulating, however inaccurately, about both him and Prince Andrew, the Duke of York".

Goldberger forwards the email onto Jeffrey Epstein who forwards it onto Peter Mandelson - a British politician turned ambassador who was sacked earlier this year over his links to the convicted paedophile.

"No!!" replies Mandelson.

In September, Mandelson said he continued "to feel utterly awful about my association with Epstein 20 years ago and the plight of his victims".

This latest batch of documents relating to Epstein were released by those sitting on the House Oversight Committee.

This is the main investigating committee in the US House of Representatives, and it scrutinises the federal government and its agencies. At the moment, it is led by Republicans.

It's one of only three committees in the House where the chair can compel witnesses to give evidence - using an order known as a subpoena - without a committee vote.

It has played a central role in demanding and releasing documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein.

As a reminder, we're currently reading through the thousands of pages released by the committee, and will update you shortly.

Kayla Epstein
US reporter

Today’s return of the US House of Representatives was supposed to be about ending the government shutdown. Instead, it’s going to be all about Epstein.

With their release of new Epstein emails, the Democrats have set the narrative and put the issue at the top of the agenda.

In response, Republicans on the House Oversight Committee dropped a tranche of 20,000 pages of documents to counter a Democratic effort to “cherry-pick.”

Any prospect that the clamour to vote on the release of the Epstein files would have died down over the House’s long break is essentially moot.

The House Oversight Committee has just released 20,000 pages of documents received from Epstein's estate.

The committee is controlled by Republicans - and the release comes shortly after Democrats on the committee released three emails it said were received by Epstein's estate this morning.

We're starting to read through the documents now, and will bring you updates.