Leader Schumer Calls On FBI To Immediately Launch A Counterintelligence Threat Assessment Into The National Security Risks Posed By Donald Trump’s Potential Connection To The Epstein Files And Ensure Foreign Adversaries Cannot Leverage The Files Against Our Government

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor on the utter lack of transparency from the Trump administration in regards to the Epstein files, and called on the FBI to conduct a counterintelligence threat assessment to ensure that foreign governments don’t exploit this situation. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

The more time passes, the less we all know about the truth behind Trump’s relationship with the late financier and predator.

Donald Trump promised he would release the Epstein files while he was on the campaign trail. He made that promise, and he has yet to do it.

Speaker Johnson quite literally preferred to shut Congress down early and send everyone home on an Epstein recess rather than risking a vote on the Epstein files to take place.

Americans are right to be angry over the lack of transparency.

But this isn’t just about getting to the truth. This is also every bit about our national security.

Whatever may be in the Epstein files is clearly troubling enough that Donald Trump doesn’t want to touch this issue with a ten-foot pole.

So it’s natural to ask: what happens if America’s adversaries use cyber-attacks or other means to access investigative materials into Jeffrey Epstein that are embarrassing – or worse – for President Trump and the people around him?

What happens if Epstein materials end up in the hands of the Chinese government, or Russia, or North Korea?

Unless the Epstein files are released, and made fully transparent to the public, could our adversaries use that information to blackmail someone like the president? Or other senior leaders in government? What kind of risk could that pose to our national security?

So today, I am calling on the FBI to immediately conduct a counterintelligence threat assessment to ensure we understand the risk posed if a foreign adversary were to gain access to anything connected to the Epstein files.

Specifically, I am calling on the FBI to do three things.

First, we must determine if foreign intelligence agencies could gain access to the information the president does not want to release in the Epstein files, through methods that include cyber intrusion.

Second, the FBI must identify any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by foreign intelligence agencies with access to non-public information in the Epstein files, including being able to gain leverage over Donald Trump, his family, or other senior government officials.

And third, I’m calling on the FBI to publicly show they are developing mitigation strategies to counter these threats and safeguard our national security.

The idea of foreign adversaries hacking into agency files to collect information that could be leveraged against our government is not at all a remote possibility.

Just last Thursday, it was reported that DHS and HHS were among several government agencies hacked as part of a breach to Microsoft’s SharePoint service. This hack, Microsoft confirmed, was carried out by Chinese actors.

Hacks like this could very well be an attempt to exploit federal systems to get access to Epstein files and potentially use it to influence those named in the files.

Whatever is in the Epstein files is clearly concerning enough that Donald Trump is running scared.

If that is in fact the case, our adversaries could certainly be interested in trying to use this information to hurt America and Americans.

We must ensure that that can never happen and that the FBI must immediately conduct a risk assessment so we’re not caught flat-footed if our adversaries already have seen these files.

National security is not – and should never be – a partisan issue. We need to do everything we can to make sure we’re protecting the U.S. and American families every single day. This report is imperative to do just that.

And there is one more thing Donald Trump could do to quell people’s anger, confusion, frustration and fears over the national security ramifications: stop running away from this issue. Tell the truth. And if there is clearly no national security risk, release the Epstein files, President Trump.

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