In a packed coffee shop in swing-state Ohio on January 18, 2026, Mike Reynolds—a 52-year-old construction worker and lifelong Republican—slammed his phone down, face pale with shock: “Two-thirds of us now think they’re still hiding it all? Even after the deadline? This is insane!”
The fresh CNN poll by SSRS delivers the gut-wrenching blow: a full month past the December 19 congressional deadline, two-thirds of Americans (roughly 66%) believe the federal government is intentionally withholding Epstein documents that should be public—while only 16% think the feds are truly trying to release everything. The distrust cuts deep across lines—nearly 9 in 10 Democrats, 72% of independents, and even 42% of Republicans feel the same sting of betrayal. Empathy floods for victims whose justice feels forever delayed, surprise hits hard at the bipartisan erosion of faith in institutions.
With less than 1% of millions of files truly out (many blacked out), and the DOJ scrambling more attorneys amid growing calls for a special master, the question burns brighter than ever: What devastating truths are they so desperate to keep buried?
In a packed coffee shop in swing-state Ohio on January 18, 2026, Mike Reynolds—a 52-year-old construction worker and lifelong Republican—slammed his phone down on the table, his face pale with shock. “Two-thirds of us now think they’re still hiding it all? Even after the deadline? This is insane!” he exclaimed, drawing nods and murmurs from nearby patrons scrolling the same headline.
The fresh CNN poll conducted by SSRS, released that day, delivered the devastating verdict. Conducted January 9–12 among 1,209 adults, it revealed that a full month past the December 19 congressional deadline, two-thirds of Americans (roughly 66%) believe the federal government is intentionally withholding Epstein documents that should be public. Only 16% think the authorities are genuinely trying to release everything possible. The distrust cut sharply across party lines: nearly 9 in 10 Democrats, 72% of independents, and even 42% of Republicans shared the same sense of betrayal.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by President Trump on November 19, 2025, had required the Department of Justice to disclose all unclassified records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s investigations by December 19. Instead, the DOJ—under Attorney General Pam Bondi—released only initial tranches totaling about 12,285 documents and roughly 125,575 pages, amounting to less than 1% of the more than two million pages still under review. Many documents arrived heavily redacted, with names, sections, and even some previously known materials blacked out or missing entirely from the public portal. DOJ officials pointed to the discovery of over a million additional files, the painstaking process of victim-privacy redactions, and the involvement of more than 500 reviewers, yet they offered no firm new deadline, intensifying accusations of deliberate obstruction.
The consequences were immediate and profound. Survivors of Epstein’s abuse, long denied full accountability, described the partial and obscured releases as yet another wound. Bipartisan lawmakers, including key sponsors of the act such as Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, demanded contempt proceedings against DOJ officials or the appointment of a special master to expedite truly unredacted disclosures. Online forums exploded with renewed speculation about protected elites, concealed financial networks, and possible intelligence connections.
Empathy poured out for the victims whose stories remained partially buried behind the black ink, while surprise and disillusionment spread at the bipartisan collapse of trust in government institutions. Even stalwart Republicans like Mike Reynolds, who once celebrated Trump’s promises to dismantle the “swamp,” now felt the sharp sting of broken faith. As the DOJ raced to justify its pace amid mounting pressure, the poll crystallized a grim national mood: widespread disappointment in transparency pledges that had failed to materialize. In coffee shops, workplaces, and homes across the country, Americans grappled with the same bitter realization—the full truth about Jeffrey Epstein’s web of power and influence remained locked away, shrouded in delay and redaction.
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